Kaieteur News

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AIETEUR

Local Content Policy...

Thursday Edition

Oil companies and subcontractors should register offices here - GCCI President

September 19, 2019 - Vol. 12 No. 38

NEWS

Online: www.kaieteurnews.com

Guyana’s largest selling daily & New York’s most popular weekly

Price $80

Online readership yesterday 106,874

GECOM Chair to render decision today on election timeline

GECOM Chair, (ret'd) Justice Claudette Singh S.C.

Chef found dead in Kitty Support system for Sexual home was strangled Offences Act still lacking Nine years after passage of law...

- cops detain 'friend', seek woman seen leaving premises

Robbery suspect shot dead by police; fiery protest erupts in Leopold Street

Pensioner, 85, Trini cooks perishes in paid 12 times Springlands what locals get - Wife injured after blaze jumping through window on oil vessels Dead: Stanley Brown

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 03

GECOM Chair to render decision today on election timeline

By Kemol King

C

hair of the G u y a n a E l e c t i o n s Commission (GECOM), (ret'd) Justice Claudette Singh S.C., is expected to render a landmark decision today at 10:30am, which will make way for President David Granger to announce a date for General and Regional Elections. She will decide on a timeline for GECOM's readiness to hold elections, based on the discussions of yesterday's statutory meeting at the agency's Kingston Headquarters.

Deliberations from the statutory meeting last Tu e s d a y h a d l e d t h e Commission to decide that Government-nominated Commissioner Charles Corbin and Oppositionnominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj would each make a submission, detailing how they arrived at their respective proposed timelines.

Gunraj had displayed enthusiasm on Tuesday about the prospect of his proposal being accepted by t h e C h a i r. B u t t h e Commissioner's proposal of a November timeline led the

GECOM Chair, (ret'd) Justice Claudette Singh S.C. Chair to question how he could possibly arrive at such a timeline for credible elections, given the statutory and other timelines GECOM is expected to maintain in preparation.

Despite agreeing to submit a work plan, Gunraj did not. He maintained, in the same vein as Commissioners Robeson Benn and Bibi Shadick, that elections must be held in November 2019.

A c c o r d i n g t o Commissioner Vincent Alexander, that was all they contended, “and they were not prepared to discuss anything else.”

On the other hand, a press statement from GECOM disclosed that Corbin submitted a

No teachers resigned from Sophia Training Centre - Ministry of the Presidency

T

he Ministry of the P r e s i d e n c y, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport has deemed as “inaccurate” a Kaieteur News report that three teachers have resigned from the Sophia Training Centre.

The article appeared in last Monday's Kaieteur News. In a release, the Ministry stated that: “the article, captioned, “Three teachers quit Sophia Training Centre over threats, verbal abuse by students,” is completely false and terribly misleading.

“It should be categorically noted that none of the teachers or programmes quoted in the abovementioned article are part of the Sophia Training Centre.

“The Sophia Training Centre, which falls directly under the purview of the Department of Youth, does not offer any programmes in 'Furniture Making' or

'Electrical Instillation', as stated in the article.

“Further, none of the instructors quoted in the news piece are employees of the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and S p o r t . T h e M i n i s t r y, particularly the students and staff of the Sophia Training Centre, are therefore demanding an apology and full retraction of the erroneous article.

“Under good guidance, the Sophia Training Centre continues to function at its optimum, with a dedicated staff and motivated students.”

Kaieteur News acknowledges the inaccuracies in the article.

We wish to unreservedly apologise to officials of the Ministry of the Presidency, Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport, for any embarrassment and inconvenience this article might have caused.

Commissioner Sase Gunraj comprehensive work-plan with timelines and considerations reflecting the previous day's discussions.

Commissioner Charles Corbin

Commissioner Vincent Alexander

President David Granger

Alexander told reporters after yesterday's meeting that the timelines observed in Corbin's proposal, in line

with the Secretariat's calculations, culminate with a March 2020 timeline.

He further said that there

is some room for negotiations which could tighten the proposal, (continued on page 24)

Chef found dead in Kitty home was strangled - cops detain 'friend', seek woman seen leaving premises

S

omeone strangled 51-year-old USbased chef Andre Gordon sometime between last Friday night and Sunday in a Station Street, Kitty premises, and police have detained a male friend who had visited him. They are also seeking to locate two other individuals, including a woman who Gordon had taken to the house.

The developments came yesterday, after a post mortem

revealed that Gordon, called 'Blackie', was manually strangled. He was reportedly attacked from behind.

It is believed that the killer(s) carted off money and other valuables from the premises. Kaieteur News understands CCTV footage showed Gordon's friend going to the premises on Saturday morning. He has reportedly claimed that he called for Gordon, but left without entering the house

after getting no answer.

CCTV footage in the area also showed Gordon and a woman, believed to be a foreign national, entering the Kitty residence on Friday night. The woman is seen leaving alone on Saturday morning. A friend discovered Gordon's body on the kitchen floor at about 09:30 hrs on Sunday.

The victim was naked, and his wallet and short pants were on a nearby chair.

“The sliding door [was] open. The grill door [was] open,” the friend said.

“When I step in the house and go to the passageway, the man lie down in the kitchen with a streak of blood running from he head area, straight down to he foot.”

Gordon reportedly arrived in Guyana on September 9, to train some local chefs.

The US-based chef was scheduled to return home on Tuesday.

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Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News Printed and Published by National Media & Publishing Company Ltd. 24 Saffon Street, Charlestown, Georgetown, Guyana.

Publisher: GLENN LALL Editor: Adam Harris Tel: 225-8465, 225-8491. Fax: 225-8473, 226-8210

EDITORIAL

The unpalatable soup of the day

F

irst it is, then it is not. Then it is sensed, leading to questioning of senses. Was that real? Are we dealing in the real world? Or is it this something straight out of the spirit world? It is the seesawing world of national elections.

That would be challenging enough, if things were limited to that of a head spinning, eye ‘turning’ seesaw.

Except that it is more than that nowadays.

This elections business in Guyana today is best represented by a combination of living on a moving seesaw while gyrating inside a hula hoop and seeking to control an errant yoyo. Truth be told, that is not the end of the circus.

All Guyanese citizens, those who still have their heads screwed on right (and still care) may feel themselves to be in this whirligig of a situation. A closer look at the circumstances on the ground, and the almost daily revelations that come from the mouths of political Sphinxes tell the uninspiring story.

It is a tale laden with pathos. From the perspective of trapped citizens, it is better to have a lump in the head, than deal with more of the endless bumping and thumping over elections and when and how and in what manner. Turbulent, it has been and with no end in sight to the merry-go-round.

Businesses swoon; large segments of the public service sit on hands; and everyone waits for an announcement. Instead of the bugle of: it’s a boy, it has only been the whisper of: sorry, it is a false alarm. Yet another one. Go home and come back. Keep bags packed and ready to travel, with one eye open and glued to the clock.

This is leading an acute case of mass psychosis and the delusions that come with it. Perhaps, that is why this paper has so many brutal, ugly, frightening stories of Guyanese maiming and generally impatiently mistreating one another.

First, it was that elections should be held now and not then. Without missing a heartbeat, then transformed to just now and soon. Soon has since been rechristened into soon enough.

Thus, March somehow took up residence in a later quarter of the year, only to have to be rebirthed to still another down the line.

It is hocus-pocus and jiggery-pokery all wrapped into one, as in a nice, sweet Christmas gift, according to the latest tidings.

The word from all around is that delivery could be later in the year. As in this very year. That looks like a miracle by itself.

Except that nobody is cheering just yet. Both opposition and government are careful to regurgitate what is the thinking and visions of GECOM. What it wants to do, how and when it wishes to go about this.

What the crafty political Herod(s) have danced around is what they really want.

There is still the usual norm of challenge to this or that decision in motion, and with more promised.

Everybody has a swarm of ideas as to how to go about the sorceries of elections in this country, but nobody is saying the truth out loud.

The tough, heavy-duty truth, that is.

Politicians, through their many cunningly-placed strategists and propagandists congratulate themselves about how slick they are over lists, Claims and Objections, and who should (or should not) be on the elections census rolls.

Amid these artful dodges, one date after another, comes to mind, blows the mind, and then leaves mindless. It is like the dream of a polygamist: who and what finds favour today.

Through all of this, elections have now become the soup of the day. In Guyana, that now means unpalatable, stale and sickening.

“Tek warnin’, yuh betta tek warnin’” DEAR EDITOR, Kindly allow me a small space in your column. Everyone has heard of the disaster in Abaco, Grand Bahama and other places in the Bahamas, but how many know that over one year ago, it was prophesied (I heard the recording) that destruction was coming because GOD was displeased with the witchcraft and iniquity in the land!

It is commendable how Guyanese, in our unique way, have responded to our brothers and sisters in distress and have rendered assistance in many tangible ways!

Here in Guyana, we too have received warnings of potential flooding of great magnitude because of God’s displeasure in unrighteousness, but all is not lost!

In the book of Jonah (Bible), the prophet warned the people of God’s impending judgment, and when all repented - King, civilians, beasts...God turned away His wrath. Judgment can be averted if there is genuine repentance!

I know that many are praying and reaching out to God, but I’m imploring for a National response - from head to tail...

The buzz word now is OIL, OIL, OIL! But let’s not take God out of the picture. It is He who has blessed us with this commodity and with one click of His finger, He can destroy it (and us) all...

The Bible says that in the last days perilous times shall come (2Tim.3:1). Also in Matthew 24:7 we read that in the last days, there shall be “...famines and pestilences and earthquakes in divers places...” God, the Creator of this universe, will not bend His principles to accommodate warped minds.

His counsel stands. He’s a God of love, yes, but also a God of truth, justice and holiness.

So I say to us all... “Tek warnin’, yuh betta tek warnin’.”

Claudia Heywood

Evil is evil whether it is foreign or domestic DEAR EDITOR, In response to a recent piece by one of your leading columnists (in reaction to Nigel Hinds’ important letter), it was said that the Exxons of the world should not be criticised because government entities at the national level and local businesses in the said society exploit and mistreat the poor worse than any foreign or multi-national corporation (I am paraphrasing so maybe I didn’t get the columnist’s argument quite right, but I think that I am in the ball-park).

Mr. Editor when it comes to people taking advantage of the poor or the host of other evils that are directed at the poor and the working class, I think that all guilty parties should be exposed and in no particular order.

You can’t tell me that if Exxon is taking advantage of Guyana that I shouldn’t talk about it because I didn’t say anything when ministers of the government were driving their $45 million SUV’s or when senior government

functionaries were enjoying some benefit or privilege that the masses of working class people in Guyana did not enjoy.

Anyone who says that must be an apologist or a closet agent of multi-national entities.

I am getting tired of this nonsense of persons taking the position that poor people’s problems come exclusively from a local source.

I am not saying that the corruption, greed and other injustices, whether public or private, that are perpetrated against the poor and the working class at the local level, should not be addressed and discussed at the local level. It should be addressed and exposed in the media. But what I am also saying is that foreign incursions that degrade and tarnish our economic and political life should also be exposed and discussed in the media. Evil is evil whether it is foreign or domestic and I can elaborate in another (Continued on page 6)

A national government has the responsibility to first and foremost act in the interest of the Guyanese people DEAR EDITOR, At pre-independence, there was a case to be made for Guyana being called ‘Booker’s Guiana’. Now, decades later, what is visible are the makings of the case for Guyana to be called ‘ExxonMobil’s Guyana’.

Editor, I want to refer to ExxonMobil’s engagement with the caretaker APNU/ AFC Government to propose a plan on how oil monies can be used to develop various sectors and selected industries via the development of a national competitiveness strategy.

Guyana has a National Competitiveness Strategy. It is a 125-page document titled ‘Enhancing National Competiveness – A National Competitiveness Strategy for Guyana’. The document’s completion was the result of in-house work, through a partnership between the former PPP/C government and the local private sector. [Link to document: https:// finance.gov.gy/wp-content/ uploads/2017/06/ncs.pdf] The strategy already in existence is a comprehensive one. It deals with: The Rationale for Competitiveness Strategy; Key Elements of Competitiveness Strategy; Core Competitiveness Policies; Sector Strategies; Policies Targeting Strategic Subsectors; Overarching Enablers; and the Partnership Approach.

Importantly, the interests of local companies – while not ignoring foreign investments – were addressed in a comprehensive way, from the promotion of local trade to addressing legislation that takes note of Guyana’s specific local circumstance, as well as includes recommendations that build on local experience.

Why do we need to re-invent the wheel on this issue?

Why is the work being done by a foreign company? Why is the successful model of government/local private sector partnership being ignored?

Also, Editor, following the engagement with the caretaker APNU/AFC Government on a new national competitiveness strategy, a letter was sent to sections of the local private sector and outlines a plan for engagement that is akin to a political party’s manifesto.

The letter that I have seen proposes an invitation only workshop on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 to discuss: • Performance of key economic areas in Guyana, with a view of making sure all players are working from the same foundation as it relates to economic data (statistics from Guyana and other countries that will be provided by ExxonMobil).

• Methodology and tools where ExxonMobil will provide our local private sector

with tools, such as drivers of competitiveness, to deal with cluster mapping and cluster development, which is to say that ExxonMobil will tell Guyanese where certain industries are concentrated and how they could be developed.

• National Value Proposition where ExxonMobil will identify where the opportunities for economic advantages are.

• Identification of ‘quick wins’, which is the identification of economic areas where benefits can be realised immediately.

All of this comes under what ExxonMobil is calling the ‘Shared Prosperity Initiative’ to be led by one, Dr. Michael Porter, and a Dr. Jorge Ramirez.

Aside from the lopsided deal signed with ExxonMobil in 2016, why is the caretaker APNU/AFC Government allowing or facilitating ExxonMobil’s influence to shadow what should be critical national issues?

A few questions must be answered: 1. What was the rationale for allowing ExxonMobil to produce a national plan for how our take of revenues from the oil and gas sector should be spent?

2. Why is the caretaker APNU/AFC Government not limiting ExxonMobil’s influence on what should be a locally determined national policy trajectory?

3. Who is making the decisions on the engagements between Guyana and ExxonMobil?

Engagements with foreign companies are not unwelcomed, but this must take place in a framework that does not negatively impact national interests.

Guyanese are already enlightened on the disaster that is our Local Content Policy through the zealous Kaieteur News reports on this issue.

One of the interesting pieces from Kaieteur News pointed out how a foreign consultant undermined our Local Content Policy to favour foreign interests. Will the caretaker APNU/AFC Government allow the same thing to happen by allowing or facilitating ExxonMobil’s influence on nationally determined policy directions? Will they not learn?

The only thing that appears to be clear is that the caretaker APNU/AFC Government is promoting neo-colonialism in our country. In so doing, they have allowed a small group free reign to move around duping our people.

Limits must be set. A national government has the responsibility to act in the interest of the Guyanese people, first and foremost – not place interest of foreign companies as the priority.

Regards, Erin Northe

Thursday September 19, 2019

The appointment of GECOM’s Chair would not have been possible had Parliament and the Office of the Leader of the Opposition been terminated DEAR EDITOR, When former 2-term Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran, S.C. wrote in his August 25, 2019 column that “The timid, indecisive and ineffectual decision-making of the CCJ has brought elections no closer, has left the Guyanese people defenceless in the face of an egregious assault on their constitutional rights and has left open its decision to more than one interpretation. The Caribbean Court of Justice has failed Guyana”, he was publicly venting his disappointment and anger that the CCJ had declined the request to order the immediate resignation of the Cabinet and set a date for elections while asserting that it was the constitutional responsibility of the President and the National Assembly (and implicitly GECOM) to determine such matters. Mr. Ramkarran’s concern for the “defenceless” people “in the face of an egregious assault on their constitutional rights” was not directed at the supporters of the APNU+AFC government whose votes were misused and abused by the no confidence vote process but rather at the persons who conspired to subvert the decisions of the previous election.

While the Courts found that there were no constitutional protections against

such a cynical assault on the democratic process and the fundamental rights of citizens, it found that it could not compound this travesty of justice by ordering the resignation of the President and Cabinet and determining a date for early elections, as demanded by Mr. Ramkarran and others.

Unlike the CCJ, the former Speaker of the National Assembly sees little or no discretionary role for the President or parliament in this regard and an overwhelming role for the Courts (which they have largely declined) no confidence vote (NCV) as the enforcement arm of the politicians that instigated and coordinated the NCV and believes that there was no “serious justification” for the CCJ or any other court to decline to make the orders sought by the supporters of the NCV. The only persons with “integrity” in his view are the persons who conspired to misappropriate a governing (majority) party vote to temporarily deliver a majority to the opposition in order to abort a democratically elected government’s term in office.

Mr. Ramkarran now declares that, in his opinion, Parliament is without legal status and should be considered automatically dissolved given the validity of the NCV. He asserts that the CCJ declaration

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Kaieteur News

that general elections should have already been held by March 21, 2019 would have seen the parliament being dissolved some time before notwithstanding the exercise of the President’s constitutional prerogative not to dissolve the National Assembly up to this time.

The fact is that the CCJ, in its statements, directions and orders, suggest no support whatsoever for Mr. Ramkarran’s extreme and partisan positions, but reiterated the necessity and duty of the President and National Assembly to fulfil their constitutional responsibilities, which would not be possible if the National Assembly had ceased to exist. Mr. Ramkarran’s failure to demand that the Leader of the Opposition demit office prior to March 21, 2019, or September 18, 2019 or at all, as well as Mr. Jagdeo’s continuation in office is ample testimony to the lack of seriousness by which he himself views his arguments and he has not opposed or condemned Mr. Jagdeo’s role in the appointment of the current Chairperson of the Guyana Elections Commission which would not have been possible had parliament and the Office of Leader of the Opposition been terminated.

Sincerely, Oscar Dolphin

The government is in plain sight DEAR EDITOR, I would like to respond to a letter published in the Kaieteur News by Shane Lindie, dated September14, 2019 titled, “Where is APNU+AFC?” In that letter he stated, “As we very slowly but surely approach this much anticipated and unique general and regional election, something is strikingly odd.

Where is APNU+AFC? We are in election mode and the contemporary PPP Administration is very up-to-date with information.

There are interviews and press conferences very regularly on TV. They are also releasing these interview moments after airing on YouTube and on other popular social medial platforms”.

Let me inform Mr. Lindie that the President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, Brigadier (ret’d.)

David Granger has not yet issued a proclamation dissolving the parliament and appointing a date for the holding of elections. Are you in a state of hibernation from Guyana Mr. Lindie?

It was only on Monday in his address to the nation that the President reiterated his commitment to holding credible elections at the earliest time possible and called on all Guyanese to respect the independence and judgement of the Elections Commission, which is responsible for elections. Just to set the record

President Granger and the Carter Center DEAR EDITOR, If President Granger were a true Guyanese patriot (and I know that he is), he had to be very humiliated to sit before representatives of the Carter Center to explain his plans for the forthcoming Regional and General elections to an outside entity like the Carter Center. Guyana after all is a black country and the Carter Center didn’t even have the decency to have an African-American on board.

Aside from that, the Carter Center is a very obscure organisation in the United States and to think that our President had to sit before this body to explain his plans for general elections is indeed a hard pill to swallow. The picture was there for everyone to see - the President and Ms. Volda Lawrence sitting on one side, and the Carter Center representatives sitting on the other. Maybe, protocol demanded that it should be done that way and the President couldn’t send a representative.

I know that the Carter Center was involved in our electoral process in the 1992 elections to see the PPP re-

turn to power. Twenty-three years of PPP rule didn’t do much good for Guyana, but I guess you can say that because of the Carter Center the elections were fair and democratic. NGO’s like the Carter Center may set out to do some “good” around the world, but very often, they defeat their own purpose by disrespecting citizens and violating their rights as human beings.

So, the very injustice they are trying to correct, they perpetrate in their manner and methodology.

And don’t forget that what the Carter Center is doing is imperialism, raw and simple.

They are like’ wolves in sheep’s clothing’. They would tell you, “Oh, we are not the government, we are just here to help you”, but they disrespect you and violate your sovereignty just like any imperialistic government or multi-national corporation.

Why do we need the Carter Center in Guyana with all the brilliant and qualified Guyanese that we have? We have a very competent judicial system (including the Caribbean Court of Justice)

that did a great job so far of managing the electoral shenanigans. And if we want to step outside of Guyana for help, we have Caricom and I didn’t see the president explaining himself to Caricom.

What’s wrong with Caricom?

I know some people will want to tell me that the big countries still have a sway in small countries like Guyana and there is nothing we can do about it.

I know that the strong take advantage of the weak and that “might is right”. I know those things will not change because of what I am saying in this letter. I guess in a way the president dared not refuse to meet with the

Carter Center, because they are from the great United States of America. Maybe, imperialism is inevitable but there is still something that countries like Guyana can do about it. We can refuse to cooperate; we can resist and fight back. It was Martin Carter who said, “pressed to the wall dying but fighting back.” The slaves fought back and won. In the United States, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his followers fought back and won. In Guyana, we can also fight back against sinister foreign forces and win. We don’t need the Carter Center. We are an independent country.

Rudyard Vyfhuis

straight, GECOM is a constitutional, independent body which has a Chairperson and PRO to speak for and on its behalf, not under this government will you see political interference in a constitutional body!!!

As the President reminded the nation in his address, the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must be allowed to continue the task of preparing for the forthcoming General and Regional Elections. The Head of State explained in clear language, that GECOM’s solely responsible for the conduct of polls and that the constitution safeguards the body from political interference even as he pointed out that the Commission must assure the public that it is ready to conduct elections and to advise him of its readiness to do so.

Until then Mr. Lindie, we are not in election mode, the opposition PPP/C has been in election mode since it lost the elections in 2015 and it has manifested itself through a series of subversive actions and attacks on the government resorting to the backdoor grab for power with the treacherous No Confidence Motion last December.

Not until President Granger declares a date for elections; please be advised that the Prime Minister of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana reminded Guyanese

that, “The government operates on an interim footing but does all routine functions from which citizens benefit.

The Constitution invests in the Executive President and his interim government a life that goes beyond elections, until a new President is sworn in. The APNU+AFC Government therefore enjoys both de jure and de facto status” in his ‘MY Turn’ column.

So, Mr. Lindie if you want to see the APNU +AFC government without going to the respective offices there are many mediums that you and all Guyanese can access any information on this government. May I direct you to the Department of Public Information’s (DPI’)s Website, Facebook , Instagram and Twitter pages, the Ministry of the Presidency’s Website, the Guyana Chronicle Newspapers/Online, Facebook etcetera and National Communications Network(CN) Six O’ Clock News, Info Hub, Context and Insight to name a few.

I am sure you will find the information in the public domain that can edify you as to “Where is APNU+AFC?” The government is IN PLAIN SIGHT DOING WHAT IT WAS DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED TO DO, WORKING FOR ALL THE PEOPLE OF GUYANA. Yours sincerely Ceion Rollox

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Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Yarrowkabra Housing Group’s inquiry into the operational systems of GL&SC DEAR EDITOR, Several years ago, I along with some friends and business associates, applied for some house-lots in Yarrowkabra and were given eighteen lots at the front of Yarrowkabra, opposite Sky Lark Resort.

Unfortunately, the house-lots were not all together and we were finding it hard to build as a group, so we asked other persons (outside the group) to exchange lots. Some persons (outside the group) were not willing to exchange land, even though at that time, the system allowed for the easy transfer of lots from one person to another. This caused some of the members to become disheartened and loose interest in the project causing the group to break up.

Some time passed and about eight members of the group (including myself) received letters from Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission (GL&SC), inviting us to visit the office.

This we did and were advised that if we were still interested in developing a housing scheme in the area, we should go and see whether the lots we were given had been occupied by others or still vacant. We checked and discovered that most of the land had been occupied by other persons. We reported this back to GL&SC and they told u s

that they would relocate us.

This they did, providing us with lots all together so that w e could have built our houses as a housing group.

We cleared the land, which cost us a substantial amount of money. Again, members started to default, and being under the impression that the system was still the same, where lots could be easily transferred from one person to another, I allowed other persons who were interested in becoming a part of the housing scheme, to take up defaulters’ land to build on.

After they started building, we found out that the system had changed, and land could not be easily transferred anymore. The persons who had started building on defaulters’ land stopped building when they found this out, hoping to get the matter resolved before continuing. We therefore sought the advice of Lands and Surveys Department and were told that there was a clause in the lease, which stated that letters had to be sent to defaulters, requesting that they indicate their interest/non-interest in retaining legal right to the land they had been allotted, and giving them six months to reply. Leases also state that a lessee is in default if after two years nothing has been done

Evil is evil whether it ...

From page 4 piece, on why I think that multi-national corporations are much more invidious than anything that can be concocted at the local level. In any event, some people (like Nigel Hinds) tend to focus more on the foreign aspect of our economic predicament because that is the area of their expertise and interest.

They are entitled to that.

Sincerely, Rudy Vyfhuis

with the land. However, nothing is ever done, and defaulters are allowed, even encouraged to continue as lessees. I am bewildered that this situation is entertained and encouraged.

A prime example is one that the Yarrowkabra Housing Group is currently experiencing.

Several years ago, one of the original members of our Group indicated that he was no longer interested in the project and gave up his plot of land to another individual who came on board and had indicated his interest in that plot. We wrote to GL&SC requesting transfer of plots from defaulters to new members and were subsequently told that the cancellation process was sent over to the Office of the President (underr the previous Administration (PPP/C) for approval. However, notwithstanding the several years that have elapsed since being told that the final approval was pendi n g from the President’s Office, the aforementioned original plot owner was allowed to pay the requisite fees at GL&SC and be reinstated as the lessee of the plot of land, even though the individual it was given to had already built on it. Also, there are several other plots (maintained by the Group, but in default) that could have been reallocated to this original member.

What is going on in our beautiful country? How can we truly progress if our systems function in such ineffective ways? Why is GL&SC encouraging persons to own lands with the full knowledge that they have been in default for numerous years? The process of cancellation of land at GL&SC is either completely fractured or now non-existent.

I wrote the current Commissioner of GL&SC requesting an audience with him to discuss our matter of concern, but have received no re-

sponse.

Under this current Administration, with the help of Prime Minister, the Honourable Moses Nagamootoo and Minister of Infrastructure, the Honourable David Patterson, our Housing Scheme received electricity and paved roads, for which we are truly thankful. However, if Yarrowkabra and other communities on the Linden Highway are to

experience true development, the operations of the Guyana Lands & Surveys Commission should be scrutinised and possibly revamped. I recognise that the Government is currently preparing for elections in the near future and that this may be considered a minor matter not worthy of their attention at this time, but I believe that looking into this now will have long-term benefits for the na-

tion, especially since considerations are once again on the table for moving the nation’s capital to Region 1 0 .

This Administration should not allow the opportunity to regularise the operations of GL&SC to slip through their hands.

Arthur Taylor President Yarrowkabra Housing Group

Residents of Speightland need justice DEAR EDITOR, I write this letter in response to an article published in another newspaper on Monday, September 16, 2019 captioned: “PPP councillor in Linden accused of collecting signatures under false pretense”.

I was taken aback because the contents of the letter are completely fabricated.

I use this medium to state the facts, which can be verified by the residents living in Speightland.

There is a Community Development Council (CDC), which exists in Speightland of which Mr. Kevon Lorrimer is a past Chairman, but he was voted out. He would have since formed the Speightland Logging and Agriculture Cooperative Society (SLAC). He is currently an employee of the APNU/AFC Government and does political work with the title of a Community Development Officer.

He has been operating closely with the Minister of Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock. The residents for some time have been most displeased with Mr. Lorrimer’s behaviour and decided to write a letter of complaint to the Minister highlighting what has been happening. It was agreed that all residents would sign this letter. I went on to gather the signatures from everyone and delivered the letter to Minister Allicock’s office, copies were also sent to Ministry of the Presidency, the Sergeant of E-Division, Commander of E-Division, the Regional Chairman – Region 10, and the CDC officer of Region 10.

Surprisingly, within hours of delivering the letter to Minister Allicock’s office, a reply from the Minister was sent to my home.

This was delivered by Mr. Lorrimer, the same person who the community complained against. On Sunday, September 8, 2019, approximately 150 residents came out to meet Minister Allicock to express their displeasure but we were prevented by the police from engaging the Minister. The Minister refused to meet with us and I was told

by Mr. Marlon Pearson, a staff of the Minister and a friend

of Mr. Lorrimer that only 3 persons could speak with the Minister.

Following this, Mr. Lorrimer was seen to have in his possession, a copy of the letter which was sent to the Minister along with the signatures of the residents.

He was using the list to intimidate and threaten several persons in the community, making reference to taking actions against those who were speaking out. I recall on September 2, 2019, there was a meeting with the residents where the residents questioned why the CDC was not managing the Heritage Event.

Mr. Lorrimer showed up and made abusive remarks towards other residents and me.

There are available audio recordings of Mr. Lorrimer’s verbal abuse on others and me who were in attendance.

Following that Sunday, I contacted the PPP/C representative in the area, Bishop Juan Edghill and he came and held a meeting with the residents on Tuesday, September 10, 2019.

Bishop Edghill listened to the complaints of the residents and documented them, promising that he would look into the matter. While this meeting was in progress, Mr. Lorrimer was in the vicinity, filming the residents as they spoke seeking once again to intimidate persons but the residents still spoke out. Several of the issues brought to light were: 1) Mr. Lorrimer’s financial dealings with residents as it related to support from Food For the Poor (FFTP); 2) Mr. Lorrimer’s financial dealings with loggers and residents in the community; 3) The residents spoke about him disrespecting the CDC and its Executives, the residents recalled when he was the Chairman all matters had to be passed through him and there are still outstanding financial matters, 4) For two years now, Mr. Lorrimer has hijacked the Heritage Event, taking it away from the CDC and has made no financial contributions to the community; 5) He used the registration and serial numbers of residents to apply for land through Forestry and the said

persons were sidelined when the application was successful; 6) Also, residents complained that when Mr. Lorrimer was forming the Loggers Association, he did not involve the members in crafting the constitution and there was no election; 7) The CDC had applied to NICIL for the playground in Speightland but was told that the matter was in Court. However, on Sunday, September 8, 2019, the playground was handed over to Mr. Lorrimer through the Loggers Association.

These are not my concerns but those of the residents in Speightland.

I wish to clarify and make clear any misguided details: 1) At no time did I obtain anyone’s signature by falsely representing this matter. It was the community which made the decision that a letter should be written. All I did as the Chairperson of the CDC was to collect the signatures and deliver the letter on behalf of the residents. This matter was discussed and agreed upon.

2) It is shocking that the article said I obtained the signatures by false pretense when nearly 150 of these residents showed up on Sunday, September 8, 2019 to engage the Minister against Mr. Lorrimer’s behaviour.

3) Persons who were quoted in the article in question have contacted me and said that they had no conversation with Mr. Lorrimer or with the newspaper on the details mentioned. This is a total fabrication. It was intended to defame me and to attack my reputation. I believe this has happened not just because I am the Chairperson of the CDC but more so because I am a Regional Democratic Councillor representing the PPP/C in Region 10. I expect the newspaper in question to offer a public apology and correct this mischief.

4) Mr. Lorrimer needs to be dealt with for his bullying, intimidation tactics and threats to the residents of the community. The residents need justice.

Yours sincerely, Gem Narine Chairperson – Speightland CDC

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Local Content Policy...

Oil companies, subcontractors should register offices here - GCCI President

By Kiana Wilburg President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer, wants Guyana to be armed with a robust Local Content Policy that allows for partnerships between local and foreign suppliers along with requiring overseas based subcontractors to have registered offices here.

Deygoo-Boyer made these comments on a recent panel discussion that focused on local content. He was joined by Local Content Expert, Anthony Paul and Ramps Logistics Chief Operating Officer (COO), Shaun Rampersad.

On the Kaieteur Radio programme which aired on Thursday last, the GCCI President said that a few months ago, he would not have been a proponent for mandating partner-

ships between local and foreign suppliers. This was based on his belief that the free market must be allowed to work without interference.

But after listening to further commentary on this issue, assessing the three drafts for Guyanas Local Content Policy, as well as examining policies around the world, he strongly believes that partnerships have to be considered as a significant factor if the nation is to be successful and retain considerable value from its oil wealth.

Deygoo-Boyer said, “...In Ghana they mandate that there be partnerships. (But) we are in a bit of a weird situation because our trade laws and obligations under Caricom would put us in a peculiar position to mandate partnerships. But we should strongly encourage it...”

The GCCI President also

Local Content Expert, Anthony Paul

GCCI President, Nicholas Deygoo-Boyer

Ramps Logistics COO, Shaun Rampersad

highlighted that in Ghanas Local Content Policy, companies are required to have registered

offices. It is one of the mechanisms that is used to ensure more taxes are retained by the State which would have otherwise been avoided if the companies are not required to do so. The businessman said he strongly believes that Guyanas policy should carry such a provision.

Adding to Deygoo-Boyers perspective was the COO of Ramps Logistics which is one of the subcontractors for ExxonMobil and Tullow Oil. Rampersad categorically stated that partnerships are necessary given the dearth of technical skills and services here. The COO said too that it is one of the ways in which locals can overcome barriers to entry into the industry.

The Trinidadian businessman said, “We need the partnerships to bring in knowledge and existing product lines. Also, with the companies that have the knowhow and extensive contacts within the industry, it would help to open some doors for Guyanese businesses.”

IMPORTANCE Kaieteur News had exposed a few days ago that Local Content Expert, Anthony Paul had submitted in 2018, the second draft of Guyana s Local Content Policy which not only mandated that foreign suppliers have registered offices here, but that there be partnerships with local firms too. As a consequence of the government bypassing Paul, and using a British Consultant, Dr. Michael Warner for the completion of the policy, those provisions were removed. This publication had also exposed that Dr. Warner never wrote a policy before for any nation. He also has ties to ExxonMobil.

On the panel discussion last week, Paul spoke extensively about the importance of partnerships, while noting that it is a winwin situation for Guyana and the foreign companies if this occurs.

Paul said, “There are two reasons why it was recommended for Guyana, because there are benefits to both parties. Oil companies always want to maximize

their profits, and locals providing goods and services help in that agenda, because if they are using someone on the ground they can eliminate some of the airfare costs to do that...”

The Local Content Expert added, “Now having said that, if the locals are not able to do the job, then how do you help them to do it? Partnerships! ...It is the same way you ride a bicycle.

Someone was there to help you...someone who knows or has experience in the area and they are working alongside you.

That is the best way to learn practical things.”

Further to this, the Trinidadian stressed that partnerships allow locals the opportunity to have a deeper understanding of different aspects of the oil and gas industry.

Paul also alluded to the billions of dollars Guyana is losing when there are no partnerships.

In this regard, the Energy and Strategy Advisor noted that given Guyanas model, for every barrel of oil sold, 75 percent of that money goes to cover costs incurred for hiring subcontractors for the development of the oil projects.

“Now imagine if you were able to retain 10 percent of that 75, that would be significant.And you can retain that through partnerships between the locals and the foreign companies, that is why it is so important,” added Paul.

He further stated that it is due to Ghanas deep understanding and appreciation of the value that can be retained from partnerships, that they have provisions in their Local Content Policy which makes this mandatory. “At the end of the day, the question before Guyana, to what extent does it want to retain value from the oil industry?”

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 9

Kaieteur News

The Public Service Commission should recall all delegated powers The government is stacking the public service with its cronies. Some public officials are capitalising on this process in order to find jobs for their friends and families.

Many of the new employees will eventually become bona fide public servants.

Their employment will have to be endorsed by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

What this means is that a large number of the new employees would be persons who would have benefited from favourable consideration in their employment.

In some cases, persons who already had jobs are

being given jobs in the public service, much to the chagrin of those who badly need jobs and are not procuring employment - even supporters of the ruling coalition who are not being successful in gaining employment within the government.

People are saying that Guyana is returning to the days when it was not your qualifications and abilities which allowed you to gain employment, but who you know and who knows you.

The Public Service Commission recently announced that it was expanding the hiring powers of Permanent Secretaries.

The PSC announced that it was delegating, to permanent secretaries, the power to hire persons who fall between the G1 to G3 salary scales. These are the three lower scales in the public service.

This delegation of powers may be seen as a minor issue. But it is not. The public service is bottomheavy, meaning that the majority of workers are employed in the lower tiers of the establishment. And it is these low-level workers who eventually will become public servants.

Workers in the upper-tiers tend to prefer contract employment.

Trini cooks paid 12 times what locals get on oil vessels One day after news that a local lawyer is moving to sue an oil services company for discriminating against Guyanese workers, there is emerging evidence of how much disparity there is in the pay.

For example, a cook on a normal emergency vessel in Trinidad could take home at least TT$15,000 (US$2,214) fortnightly. This is 12 times what one worker aboard a vessel in the offshore area in ExxonMobils oilfield is getting ($70,000). There are several cases similar in Guyana.

Several contracts which locals signed with companies working for ExxonMobil indicate a lowly salary of just

over G$70,000 monthly.

Kaieteur News was told that while ExxonMobil paid the contractor, these benefits are not passed on to workers.

The workers were paid a fraction. In fact, insiders say that comparisons to what persons working right in the region found shocking instances of how Guyanese workers are just not benefitting as expected.

The emerging oil and gas sector was supposed to bring at least decent remuneration to Guyanese.

Trinidad and Tobago, for example, has tough negotiations ongoing for benefits for the thousands of workers.

Overtime, cost of living

allowance, insurance and other benefits are among the considerations.

On Tuesday, attorney-atlaw Sanjeev Datadin announced that he was preparing to sue an oil service company, and possibly Exxon, after a client complained of being paid just over $70,000 monthly.

The employee said he is asked to stay one month aboard the ship and there are no allowances.

According to Datadin, in effect, the staffer is working 24 hours, as he has no way come off the ship. He intends to have the court making a key ruling that will speak to how Guyanese oil workers are being paid.

What the recent decision of the PSC means is that the permanent secretaries would now be responsible for hiring a great many of the persons who will be expected to serve as civil servants.

The Public Service Commission is a constitutional body which was established to make appointments and to exercise discipline and dismissals of public servants.

The PSC was created to prevent political and other forms of favouritism in appointments, dismissals and disciplinary action.

The International Commission of Jurists, which in 1965 had investigated racial imbalances in the public and police services, had stressed the importance of employment being done in an objective manner, based on uniform standards of c h a r a c t e r, e d u c a t i o n a l background and professional competence.

The Commission found, controversially, that the procedures followed by the Commission in the matter of appointments, promotion and dismissals are fair, and that recruitment and promotion are on the basis of merit and merit alone.

And this is how it should be. And this is why the independence of the Public Service Commission

was entrenched as part of the constitution of the newly-independent state of Guyana in 1966. Sadly, over the years, the Public Service Commission has been its own enemy, by virtue of it delegating powers of employment to permanent secretaries.

The Public Service Commission has to be careful that it does not become a rubber stamp. Already the government has established something called a Public Service Training College. Persons desirous of entering the public service have to apply to this college. After their training, they are assigned to government Ministries.

The Public Service Commission has no control over who enters this college, but will be expected to sign-off on these persons’ employment after they would have been assigned to Ministries upon completion of their training. This amounts to the government having a free hand in the recruitment of these persons who will eventually become public servants.

The Public Service Commission should be the agency which advertises all vacancies with the public service. It should be the agency to which persons

have to apply for jobs in the public service. The Public Service Commission should undertake all the interviews, so as to ensure that the employment process is based on merit, and not friendship or political affiliation.

It is a lot of work for the Commission to undertake such a task, but which is necessary to ensure that employment in the public service is based on merit.

Instead of expanding the powers it delegates to permanent secretaries, many of whom are political appointees, the PSC should have been recalling all delegated powers.

There are young people who are not obtaining jobs in the public service even though they are qualified.

And fingers are being pointed, since there are others who it is believed are being employed because they have the right connections.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

PAGE 10

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

=== The Freddie Kissoon column ===

Gerry Gouveia, Desmond Trotman and my country I am no friend of Gerry Gouveia. I don’t know Gouveia. I think I saw him once in my life at the Guyoil gas station in Kitty, many years ago. I can hardly bring myself to socialize with Gouveia, because of what the Walter Rodney Commission of Inquiry said about him.

In life, many obscure persons with low income jobs know so much about the dark secrets of their c o u n t r y ’s h i s t o r y, a n d when they die, their priceless facts go to the grave with them. These are people that the country never hears about, because they live in obscurity.

The PNC once had a security rank named Boyce.

Boyce did nasty, violent

things for the PNC leadership. He was badly treated by the PNC over money owed to him. He ended up securing a job through Minister David Patterson at the AFC office. Boyce lived quietly and no one knew about his violent political life. I think he may have revealed some things to David Hinds. I know what he told me, because we became close when he did security work for the AFC. Boyce has taken his secrets to the grave.

Do you know how many unemployed persons and those from the lumpen proletariat that did violent acts for the leaders in both the PPP and PNC, and those who came from other circumstances and are now in

the AFC’s leadership? Do readers of this column and citizens of Guyana want to know about the Buxton crime syndrome, 20022006?

Are they prepared for possible heart attacks if they know who had connections to Buxton?

I am amused by the words of Bonita Harris that Ronald Waddell, her common-law husband, was a non-violent man, though I can understand her feelings of protection. But I know what I know. I know what Waddell did in Buxton.

So what has all of this got to do with Gerry Gouveia? I will be brief with the relevance.

The WPA claimed that the plane that took Gregory Smith to Kwakwani

s h o r t l y a f t e r Wa l t e r Rodney was killed was piloted by Gerry Gouveia. At the Commission of Inquiry, Gouveia said he shuttled someone to Kwakwani, but he didn’t know the identity of the person. One of the two technicians that prepared the plane for flight is a person I know well. He was a former GDF technician who was openly chatting with Smith before take-off. I would be quite happy to arrange a meeting with him and WPA personnel. Of course, who in the now defunct WPA would be interested?

So I don’t know Gouveia, but I rejected Desmond Trotman’s attack on him, which had sharp racial undertones. I think I am a friend of Desmond. We have a long, political association. But I see his use of ethnic slurs as having dangerous implications.

Gouveia should be allowed to criticise GECOM and the government without Guyanese attributing racial motives to him.

The ordinary misguided fool can do that, but not someone whose politics invokes the name of Wa l t e r R o d n e y. T h e r e comes a time when you

have to put country before your own interest. I am no friend of Gouveia. I would like to think I am a friend of Trotman. But I am worried about ethnic incitement in a country that I live with my family.

It is for this reason I supported the no-confidence motion (NCM). I have lost solid acquaintances because of my endorsement of Charrandass’ yes vote, but I wrote umpteen times before and I am writing it here again – while I would not want to see the PPP back in power, I believe the NCM opens up possibilities for taming winner-take-all politics. It has not worked with the APNU+AFC coalition.

As I pen this commentary, I am looking out my window at the future. I’ve seen the future and it does not work.

Of course I am referring to post-2015. Of course I am referring to the APNU+AFC leaders. They are not morally superior to the PPP. They are as financially venal as the PPP was.

They are as contemptuously dismissive of transparent, accountable gover-

Frederick Kissoon nance as the PPP was.

They inject ethnic preferences into employment practices as the PPP did.

And finally, it is my honest opinion that they are going to tamper with the election results.

I can’t understand why someone would hate me for saying this and when the PPP was in power they loved me when I said it. Why should I not say it when it is my opinion? Why was I a good guy when I criticised the PPP government, but suddenly I become a bad person when I point to undemocratic governance in 2019?

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper)

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

2012 Anna Catherina triple murder…

Woman testifies spouse confided in her after murdering family The gruesome details of how an Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara businesswoman and her two sons were murdered, allegedly by their own neighbour, was detailed to a jury yesterday, when the former lover of the murder accused took to the witness box.

On trial for the capital offence is Abishai Caesar, 34, a barber, formerly of Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo.

He is accused of the September 21, 2012 murders of Jennifer Persaud, a liquor store owner and her two young sons Afridi Bacchus, 6 and Jadon Ernest, 17 months. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge and is being represented by lawyer Maxwell McKay. The trial is being heard before Justice Brassington Reynolds and a 12-person jury at the High Court in Demerara.

Zoey Phillips, the former reputed wife of Caesar, who is the father of her child, was called by State Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Seeta Bishundial. Phillips has been described as the main witness. The woman testified that she and Caesar lived together and were the businesswomans neighbours.

According to her, Persauds call name was “Jenny”. She said that on the night of September 21, 2012,

she and Caesar were in there bedroom when he left and told her that he was going over to Persauds home to get some money because he was “broke”. According to her, she saw when Caesar, who was clad in a three-quarter pants, collected a small wooden handle knife and a pair of gloves from the kitchen area before leaving for the womans home.

She said that this was after midnight.

Phillips recounted that her ex lover gained entry into the womans yard through a crease in a zinc fence. She recalled that she went back into their bedroom and about a minute after she looked through the bedroom window and saw Caesar climbing up the stairs in Persauds home.

She explained that she was able to see him because the womans home had clear windows. She told the court how she fell asleep and was awoken by Caesar, calling on her to open the backdoor.

The witness recounted that upon opening the door she met Caesar who showed her a cardboard box containing several $20 and $100 notes which amounted to about $3,000. She said that it was then her reputed husband told her that he “had to kill Jennifer” because she woke up and saw him in her home and knew him very well.

According to the witness,

Caesar told her that while he was stabbing Jennifer Persaud, her older son woke up and saw him and he also killed him and his younger brother. She added that when her reputed husband came back with the knife it was covered in blood and his pants also had spots of blood. She recounted that Caesar took her to the seawall where he threw the knife into the river. She added that he discarded the gloves and pants in some nearby bushes and they went back home and slept.

But almost four years after the businesswoman and her sons were killed, Phillips said that she finally informed police that it was her spouse who had committed the crime.

She stated that on April 23, 2016, she visited the Tuschen Police Outpost where she made a report against Caesar and requested a restraining order. She said the man was arrested the following day and taken to the Leonora Police Station where police held a confrontation between them.

Led by State Prosecutor Lisa Cave, Phillips said that during that time she reminded Caesar that he killed Jennifer Persaud and the two children, but he denied and told police that she was lying on him. She, however, explained that she kept it a secret for so long because she was afraid of him, as he was very abusive.

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

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Kaieteur News

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Thursday September 19, 2019

Women in Business conference provides scope for entrepreneurial networking

T

he women in b u s i n e s s conference which opened at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre at L i l i e n d a a l y e s t e r d a y, presents the unique opportunity for females in leadership positions to network -- learn from each

other and build capacity to expand their work.

Coordinator of the We L e a d C a r i b b e a n sponsored conference and local businesswoman, Abbigale Loncke, was keen to make mention of the need for support and encouragement from

females in largely maledominated business spheres.

This is Loncke's third annual women's conference which she themed PowHERful Transition from Inspiration to Action.

The conference features a dynamic group of women in business and those in

Facilitators of the Women in Business Conference, including Beyonce Publicist Yvette Noel –Schure (2nd from left) United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch (2nd from right), Abbigale Loncke (third from right) and First Lady Sandra Granger fourth from right. leadership positions including First lady of Guyana Sandra Granger, Ansa McAl Country Head, Beverly Harper, United States Ambassador to Guyana, Sarah-Ann Lynch, Ethiopian Princess Arianna Makonnen, and Beyonce P u b l i c i s t Yv e t t e N o e l –Schure --who gave the keynote address.

Facilitators of the Conference highlighted the issues affecting women in the workplace including sexual harassment, gender pay inequality and sexual reproductive rights discrimination.

In her address to the gathering, Mrs. Granger noted that if women are to achieve their fullest potential they must be given equal opportunities.

She emphasized the need for more support to be given to women who launch out on their own.

Mrs Granger noted, nonetheless, that there is not even enough data on women in business to provide a guideline of how to support them.

“I was trying to get information on women in business in Guyana, and I called a friend of mine at one organisation, and I got a response that the last time we had (information) was in 1994 to 95. I called the Small Business Unit and I got some slightly more updated information, but I couldn't get the disaggregated – how many men got loans in relation to how many women? What was the quantum of the loan – males, females, what areas? It means that if you are thinking about developing and growing, you have to start from an information environment if you want to compete in the modern world,” she explained.

According to the First lady, her work with selfreliant and ordinary women in developing and sustaining small businesses in a wide range of areas has garnered success.

The US Ambassador on the other hand, focused on contributions of women in politics and economics.

“I believe that empowerment comes from knowing yourself and the value of what you bring to the table, and as women, we bring a lot. We are one-half of humanity.”

The diplomat pointed to data that supports the notion that women's involvement in politics and economics increase the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of a country.

“The GDP goes up, and the poverty rates go down. It is proven that companies with more women in higher (continued on page 17)

A section of the gathering at the opening of the conference yesterday

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 15

Nine years after passage of law…

Support system for Sex Offences Act still lacking

G

uyana's Sexual Offences Act is among the most impressive in the Caribbean, yet there has not been a great deal of work towards the implementation of key mechanisms provided for, to support the law. This shortcoming was recently highlighted by Attorney-atlaw and Former Human Services Minister, Priya Manickchand.

During an interview with Kaieteur Radio, Manickchand emphasised the reluctance by the current administration to put systems in place. She said that government's lack of action has largely hampered the legal enforcement in the fight against sexual violence.

The former Minister was specifically questioned about the implementation of the Sexual Offences Act which was brought on stream in 2010. She told listeners that the government undoubtedly has a key role to play, in this regard.

Manickchand pointed to the lack of execution of mechanisms like the sexual assault referral centres which are provided for in the Act. She noted that not having this key component has far-reaching effects on the effectiveness of the law.

Manickchand believes that it is among the more glaring missteps by the government.

“So we don't have a legislative problem, we have an enforcement problem. The government has to pass the laws, but they also have to follow-up and put the systems in place to complement those laws,” the former Minister asserted. While she admits that government alone cannot combat the situation,

Manickchand is resolute that it must take the lead role.

“I know that no government by itself can fix the issue, they need support from civil society--churches, faith-based people, NGOs and the entire country. However, the fight against sexual violence has to be led by the government and that is not happening. For example, sexual assault referral centres are provided for in the legislation, but never happened.” According to Manickchand, “the sexual assault referral centres are basically a coping mechanism which will cater to the needs of the victims”.

“We know that sexual assault victims, whether they are children or adults, go through tremendous physical and mental trauma. What a referral centre does is help to eliminate the process of the victims having to repeat their stories a hundred times.

“The government is responsible for setting the centres preferably at hospitals in the various regions, where all the necessary personnel like police, social worker and the medical staff are present under one roof, so the victim tells his/her story once before it is taken to court,” the lawyer explained.

Added to that, Manickchand spoke of the need for a sustained awareness campaign on sexual violence.

“Sexual abuse of girls and boys is extremely widespread in our country; you see glimpses of it in the statistics of the yearly report released by the Child Care and Protection Agency. It is widespread in the hinterland and coastland, and that's primarily because

Early morning East Coast 'trip' leaves Berbice, Demerara in darkness

A

n early trip yesterday left Berbice and Demerara without power.

According to the Guyana Power and Light Inc., at approximately 03:17 hrs, the L16 Transmission Line which links the Sophia and Good Hope substations, tripped causing power generating units at the Kingston power plant to shut down.

As a result, GPL said, there was a disruption of service to customers in the Demerara-Berbice Interconnected System (DBIS).

“At the time of the trip, the line was transferring approximately 16

megawatts of power. Due to the abrupt and significant loss of bulk power within the DBIS, the generation protection system was automatically activated to prevent damage to the engines at the Kingston plant.” GPL said that remedial efforts to restore power commenced immediately with the first area being repowered at approximately 03:45 hrs.

“Incremental restoration continued until the final area was repowered at approximately 06:11 hrs. The Guyana Power and Light Incorporated (GPL) offers sincere apologies for the inconvenience caused.”

we shy away from talking about it. So there is a need for the continuous advocacy and awareness to stamp out the incidence of sex crimes.

“We need to talk about it more and share information.

Of course, you have to pass the laws, but you must put the systems in place to implement those laws… then you have to return to society an ongoing never-ending continuous awareness campaign so that people will know what to look

for, how to respond, and where to go to get support if sexual crimes occur,” she added.

The attorney was keen to point out that the Judiciary has been very progressive, as it relates to implementation of the Sexual Offences Act. “The Court has actually done well in terms of setting up vital mechanisms to address sexual offences. We have two women heading the Courts in the persons of the Chief Justice Madame Justice Roxane

George and Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, the Chancellor, both of whom were instrumental in the setting up of the Sexual Offences Court, which has aided tremendously in helping persons, especially children, complete the process of trial, since they no longer have to face their perpetrators, there are screens protecting them from having any visual contact,” Manickchand said.

Attorney-at-law, Priya Manickchand

PAGE 16

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 17

Truck driver charged for causing death …granted $500,000 of girl, 7, at Agricola bail, licence suspended

T

hree months after the horrific accident on Agricola Public Road that resulted in the death of sevenyear-old Ciara Benjamin, the man who was allegedly driving the truck that caused her demise, made his first court appearance before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts.

Thirty-nine year-old Danion Welcome, a father of four, of Albouys Street, Albouystown, Georgetown, is being represented

by Attorney-at-law James Bond.

Welcome pleaded not guilty to the charge which alleged that on June 15, 2019, at Agricola Public Road, East Bank Demerara, he drove motor lorry GWW 962, in a manner dangerous to the public and caused the death of Ciara Benjamin.

According to the facts of the charge, on the day in question, at about 16:10 hrs, Welcome was proceeding north on the eastern half

The scene of the accident

Dead: Ciara Benjamin of the Agricola Public Road, while being the driver of motor lorry GWW 962 and driving at a fast rate, when he lost control of the said lorry and collided with the little girl causing her demise.

Police prosecutor Gordon

Charged: Danion Welcome Mansfield made no objection to bail, but asked that conditions be attached.

The conditions are that the defendant must lodge his passport and report every Friday at 08:00hrs at Ruimveldt Police Station until

Women in Business conference provides scope for entrepreneurial...

From page 14 management positions achieve higher profits.

So it's not enough to just talk about empowering women, if you're serious about the political, economic and security of the future. Women need to be involved in every aspect of shaping the world they live in, and they need the tools to do that,” she said.

The Ambassador stressed, nonetheless, that there are still historical barriers and obstacles to

women achieving their full potential.

“Sexism is still with us. We've all felt it. The meetings where your ideas are ignored, and a man says the same thing and he gets the credit.

The banks that won't extend credit to you because you're a woman ...The direct assaults on women who are attacked and then blamed for wearing the wrong thing or being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Lynch reflected.

the completion of trial, it was also asked suspended.

According to Attorney Bond, his client would require his passport to travel since he needs to go overseas to receive treatment for the injuries he sustained from the beating he received from angry

residents at the scene of the accident back in June.

Chief Magistrate McLennan suspended Welcome's driver's licence and granted bail in the sum of $500,000.

The matter was adjourned to September 23.

Kaieteur News

PAGE 18

Thursday September 19, 2019

Bosai workers down tools, demand more pay The workers during the strike outside the Bauxite plant in Linden yesterday.

By Enid Joaquin

W

o r k e r s attached to B o s a i Minerals' Mines Division yesterday downed tools and trekked approximately twelve miles to the Company's North gate, outside the Bauxite plant in Linden, where they protested Management's denial of an increase in their wages and salaries.

According to the workers, Bosai, instead of granting them an increase on the 6.5 percent as they had proposed, has made an offer of a mere 6 percent for this y e a r. T h e d i s g r u n t l e d workers, carried placards declaring, "9% Up…Six is Licks!" among other things.

Whitney Graham,

Chairman of National Association of Agricultural and Commercial Industrial Employees (NAACIE), which represents the workers, told Kaieteur News, "right now we have a situation with the workers.

We are on strike, as we were negotiating with the Company, for wages and benefits. But the proposal they are putting forward, we are not in agreement with.

Every year we've been given targets and we have been achieving those targets, so it is only fair that Bosai pay what we're asking".

According to Graham, workers are seeking an increase on the 6.5 percent they have been receiving on their salaries over the past f o u r y e a r s . H o w e v e r, instead, Bosai is proposing

to cut that amount to 6 percent this year. The aggrieved workers are adamant that this is unacceptable.

Apart from that, the workers are also seeking an increase on their "night premiums", which sees them receiving forty dollars per hour. "We need an increase, because the night shift ain't easy, and presently we only getting forty dollars an hour!

We asked them for $100, but they (Management) saying that they can't pay that!"

Workers are also voicing concerns over several youths that are being employed by Bosai, over a prolonged period, on a casual basis.

Eric Ettienne, a former employee of the Company, expressed concern over what he called "a using situation" where a lot of youths are employed on a casual basis

for five years and more, and paid "paltry salaries".

"These Chinese find a way to use these workers....four, five years as apprentices and casual workers, because in that way, they get away with paying them next to nothing!"

According to Ettienne, workers are only supposed to work three months' probation, before gaining permanent employment. He

said that the prolonged casual employment, is engineered to deny the youths their rightful benefits, and to also use them to fill gaps, whenever permanent employees take strike action.

He is asking that these and other matters be looked into by the Ministry of Labour.

Meanwhile, the employees have vowed to continue their strike action until their demands are met.

Barber jailed for assaulting woman on Regent St.

A

48-year-old barber was yesterday jailed for three months after he pleaded guilty to assaulting a young woman in front of a store on Regent Street.

Seon Cholmondeley, of 322 East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, was arraigned before Principal Magistrate Faith McGusty in the Georgetown Magistrates' Courts. He pleaded guilty to the charge which stated that

on September 16, last, at 141 Regent Street Bourda, Georgetown, he assaulted Shivanie Isaacs.

In the explanation he gave to the court, Cholmondeley shared that the victim lives a Christian life and he couldn't keep up with that lifestyle, so she moved out.

Cholmondeley said that a few days prior to the incident, in an effort to save their relationship, he decided

to go to a church for guidance, and the pastor gave him a few scriptures from the Bible to read.

A c c o r d i n g t o C h o l m o n d e l e y, w h i l e reading the said scriptures, he realised that the victim was “guilty of certain things”, so he headed to her place of work to point out her transgressions.

When he arrived she was on the pavement waiting on a bus, he then approached her

with the scriptures in his hand and asked to speak to her in private, but she refused his request.

He then became annoyed and pulled her from boarding a bus which had stopped at that time, and told the bus driver “go 'long your way, she ain't leaving now.”

Isaacs then walked some distance away from Cholmondeley and stopped a taxi. When the car stopped, Cholmondeley ran to the vehicle and prevented the woman from entering the car.

It was at that moment that he pushed Isaacs to the corner of a store on Regent Street, and said, “you provoking me, you would make me do something that would hurt you”. People who were passing by at the time saw the manner in which Cholmondeley was behaving and alerted two policemen who were patrolling on bicycles.

Magistrate McGusty related to the court before handing down the sentence that she could only imagine the manner in which Cholmondeley was behaving, that caused passersby to intervene. The three-month sentence was then handed down.

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 19

Guyana, Chile to collaborate more in mining, petroleum, other sectors

Scenes from the celebrations at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday evening.

P

resident David Granger and First Lady, Mrs. Sandra G r a n g e r, o n Tu e s d a y evening, attended the 209th Independence Anniversary of the Republic of Chile at the Marriott Hotel, Georgetown.

President Granger, in his address, said Guyana and Chile have enjoyed excellent relations since the establishment of formal diplomatic ties on 22nd July 1971.

“Relations between our two states have fostered cooperation in the fields of d i p l o m a c y, l a n g u a g e training, geochemical and geological mapping, immigration, port security and transportation,” the President said.

The President, who paid a state visit to Chile in October 2016, said Guyana looks forward to

strengthening bilateral cooperation with Chile, especially in the mining and petroleum sectors, disaster management and environmental protection.

“The Statement of Intent on Cooperation in Energy and Mining and the Memorandum of Understanding between the “Andres Bello” Diplomatic Academy of Chile and the Foreign Service Institute of Guyana which were signed in Montego Bay on 6th July 2018 manifest our common commitment to deepening and widening cooperation for our mutual benefit,” he said.

President Granger said further, that Guyana and Chile share common concerns about what occurs in South America while noting that “the raging wildfires in the Amazon and the devastating effects of

hurricanes in the Caribbean highlight the urgent need for intensified continental c o o p e r a t i o n o n environmental catastrophe”.

The President noted too that relations between Guyana and Chile have been strengthened by high-level exchanges between respective Presidents, including at the 19th Summit of the Rio Group Summit, which was held in Georgetown, in March 2007; the 23rd Inter-sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, which was held in Paramaribo, Suriname, in March 2012; 1st Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) which was held in Santiago, Chile in January 2013; his State Visit to Chile in October 2016; and the 39th Regular

Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community

held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, in July 2018.

President Granger also

congratulated the Government of Chile on its (continued on page 20)

Kaieteur News

PAGE 20

Thursday September 19, 2019

Robbery suspect shot dead by police; fiery protest erupts in Leopold Street

P

olice were prevented from entering part of

Leopold Street, Georgetown, yesterday after residents blocked the streets

and burned tyres in retaliation to the killing of a robbery suspect , 35-year-

A 'protestor' prepares to throw a barrel into a burning heap as police look on in the background old Orin Odinga Williams, who was shot by police at around 01:45 hours.

While there have been several accounts surrounding the death of Williams, Police are saying that they suspect that Williams was part of a group of men that held four persons at gunpoint at Hadfield Street, Georgetown ,and relieved them of their belongings.

Police said that four cellular phones, a quantity of cash and documents were taken from the victims.

Police were informed and immediately went after the suspects who fled after the

robbery.

According to the police, one of the suspects dismounted and pulled out a firearm in the vicinity of Norton and Bishop Streets, We r k - e n - R u s t , a n d discharged two rounds in the direction of the pursuing ranks, who returned fire with their service weapons.

During the confrontation one of the suspects (Williams) was wounded.

The injured man was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The other suspects subsequently escaped. One .38 revolver, one live round

and two spent shells were recovered along with a quantity of cannabis, three cellular phones, a yellow metal chain, $10,900 and a backpack. Two of the phones were identified by the victim as theirs.

RELATIVES HAVE A DIFFERENT VERSION On the other hand relatives and residents had a different version of what transpired. They said that Williams was reportedly heading home to his girlfriend on his bike when he was confronted by two ranks of the Guyana Police (continued on page 23)

A section of the barricades yesterday

Guyana, Chile to collaborate more in...

From page 19 hosting of the 25th Session of the Conference of Parties of the Conference of Parties [COP] 25 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Santiago in December 2019.

The President said Guyana has accepted the invitation to participate at that Conference, the objectives of which are in accord with Guyana's Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040.

Meanwhile, Chilean Ambassador Patricio Becker said Guyana and Chile's relations over the years have been strengthened through enhanced cooperation between the two countries.

“Mr. President, we are confident that Guyana has a great f u t u r e w i t h t h e development of the oil and gas industry; exploration and exportation of a growing mining industry as well as the development of the timber industry… my

country wishes to contribute to that future in different fields,” Ambassador Becker said.

Minister of Foreign A ff a i r s , D r. K a r e n Cummings; Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs, Sydney Allicock; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, SC; Minister of Communities, Ronald Bulkan and Public Service Minister, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, also attended the event.

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 21

Kaieteur News

Funding secured…

First phase of Linden/Lethem road to be launched shortly Government has announced that it is steaming forward with the construction of a paved Linden/Lethem road.

Already, funding has been secured and the construction phase is expected to start shortly.

The 200-plus kilometre road has been seen as key for the development of the hinterland and the increase of trade with especially Brazil. It leads to a number of communities. Already, there is a bridge at the Takutu River, linking the two countries.

For years now, residents, miners and loggers have been complaining about the state of the road which deteriorates in especially the rainy season.

Initial talks with Brazil have stalled. That neighbouring country, seeing the benefits of faster shipping using Guyana s ports, has been attempting to find funding.

Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, in a Facebook post yesterday, disclosed that a long held dream is finally becoming a reality. He said that funding for the LindenLethem road (Phase I), has been secured via a grant from the United Kingdom and a loan from the Caribbean Development Bank.

There are consultations on the final designs ongoing.

Patterson boasted that that his Government has done more than any other previous government in moving the roadway forward. ”The PPP is on record as saying this road is not financially feasible (just as they claimed with the recently completed East Bank Berbice road - we will once again prove them visionless), however at MoPI (Ministry of Public Infrastructure), we believe that as long as there is a will, we

will find the way…”

According to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, on Tuesday, it spearheaded a consultation meeting with the residents of Mabura and Kurupukari for the Feasibility Study and Design for the Linden to Mabura Hill Road Upgrade and Kurupukari River Crossing.

The community consultations were conducted at Iwokrama River Lodge and Research Centre and Mabura Health Post. The consultations are likely to wrap up shortly.

The first phase is likely to be between Linden and Mabura, a distance of about 122 km.

Late last year, the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board opened a single bid for the Feasibility Design for the Linden/Mabura Hills Road Upgrade and River Crossing at Kurupukari.

The project is part of collaboration between the UK Government and the Government of Guyana where some $52B was

secured for developmental projects. The road construction is likely to also see construction of a new single or dual lane fixed

bridge across the Essequibo River at the Kurupukari ferry crossing (approximately 600m long).

PAGE 22

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PAGE 23

Kaieteur News

Robbery suspect shot dead by police; fiery...

From page 20 Force who were said to be on a yellow motorcycle and dressed in their uniform.

The residents claim that Williams was initially shot in Norton Street, a short distance from his home. They claimed that the ranks called for “backup” and later took him to Princes Street and into the cemetery. They further claimed that persons in the area recalled hearing multiple gunshots.

They said Williams was not dead when they initially saw him, and according to them, he cried out for his girlfriend saying, “Carry me home to me woman.

Ah want Candacy,” after his pleas to be taken to the hospital went unheard by police.

He was then reportedly thrown into the back of a Police patrol vehicle and taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Meanwhile, when this publication arrived at the scene at the junction of Leopold and Breda Streets, it was blocked with a number of blue barrels and old refrigerators.

Proceeding further up Breda Street, there were a number of persons lining the street on both sides. At the intersection, the crowd doubled in size.

Loud music as well as gunshots were heard, and there was a lot of thick, black smoke emanating due to the burning of old tyres and garbage. A fire tender was dispatched to the scene along with several firemen. Attempts to put out the blaze were rendered futile, as angry residents hurled objects at the firefighters.

The front windshield and left side passenger window of the fire tender were shattered. Residents as well as relatives of the deceased were out in their numbers, some of them covered their faces

The items that were recovered by police leaving only their eyes exposed, to obviously conceal their identity. They were observed imbibing and playing very loud dancehall music, while voicing their dissatisfaction over the manner in which their friend was killed.

SENSELESSKILLING A sister of the dead man, who preferred not to be named, said that her brother had recently returned to Guyana as he was residing in Cayenne, French Guiana, for the past 15 years and “basically couldn't be called a Guyanese.”

“They just shoot he up and take off all his things, we ain't get back nothing,” she lamented. The woman said that her brother normally wears a lot of gold jewellery and he never goes anywhere without them. Other relatives as well as residents confirmed that this was the case, as he was a very “fashionable and flashy”

individual.

The woman went on to say that they were not out there because they wanted to obstruct the peace, but were seeking justice for his “senseless killing.” She claimed that relatives were waiting at the hospital since around 01:45hrs after receiving news that her brother was shot. However, according to her, his lifeless body arrived at the hospital a few hours after.

Another sister of the dead man, identified as Omesha Murphy, claimed that her brother was shot and robbed of cash and his jewellery. She said that “He was going home to his wife; they shoot he up and rob he. We gotta get justice for my brother's death.

“He ain't get a robbery charge, he ain't get a murder charge, he ain't known to no police…so I don't know why they

kill me brother,” a grieving Murphy lamented. A number of other persons expressed anger at the manner in which the police handled the matter.

Investigations are ongoing.

PAGE 24

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

GECOM Chair to render decision today on election...

From page 3 allowing for a slightly earlier date. It was Commissioner Shadick who, two weeks ago, revealed that the precise proposed date is March 23, 2020 - which she described as one year and two days away from the Constitutional date of March 21, 2019, or three months after the December 21, 2018 No Confidence motion.

It was also revealed that that timeline only allows about six to eight days of “wiggle room” – as Alexander puts it – for a bringing forward of the timeline. Opposition-nominated Commissioners had dismissed the difference as inconsequential.

In support of Corbin's proposal, Alexander explained that it was guided by sensible timelines.

“So, you see the critical path and you see the noncritical path.”

The critical path he re-

fers to, is the alignment of activities that grant the minimum time for the completion of the entire preparation for elections.

In the case of Corbin's proposal, the encoding of the data garnered from the suspended House-to-House exercise is currently considered to be on the critical path, because the production of a credible list cannot begin until the data is encoded. But if the Chair approves Corbin's proposal, GECOM will move immediately to Claims and Objections, leaving the encoding to run concurrently, thereby removing it from the critical path.

The non-critical path details activities which do not hinder the progression of the Secretariat toward being ready for elections, like the production of ID cards.

Explaining Corbin's proposal to bring an immediate start to Claims and Objections, Alexander said that the Sec-

retariat would create a preliminary list while the encoding continues.

The data garnered from House-to-House, for which its encoding would have more time to complete, “will then become a comparator later in the process.” Alexander said.

“It will not be holding up the process.”

This proposal likely resulted from disgruntlement, mainly from Opposition-nominated Commissioners, with the fact that the encoding process was taking much longer than the Secretariat intended.

Yet, the caveat to those Commissioners' frustrations was more premised on the fact that they do not support the merger of the House-toHouse data and the NRR at all. As for the Claims and Objections exercise, Corbin's proposal is revealed to have provided 28 days (21+7). But Alexander could not recall exactly when that would begin.

Again, he iterated, “this is what was proposed by the

Secretariat.”

Asked whether there was any discussion of the need for identification cards to be produced, Alexander answered in the negative. But he upheld the view that, once Justice Singh makes a decision that incorporates the data from House-to-House and the NRR, “it stands to reason that we will have new ID cards.”

The Commission had come to an agreement, at an earlier meeting, that the Secretariat would not only go ahead with having ID cards produced at this time, but that it would also procure equipment to do the job, so that it would not have to outsource that particular task.

On the need for additional funding from Government, the Commissioner said that that was not discussed. Corbin had told Kaieteur News that the concern which was recently raised by Minister of Government, Volda Lawrence, was only a concern of hers, as he stated that GECOM does not foresee itself needing more money.

The only activity, according to Alexander, that may beckon additional funds, is the procurement and import of ballot boxes, if that is to be done over a shorter period than optimally planned. He had indicated previously that

to move the arrival of the ballots forward by two days, it would cost GECOM as much as US$250,000. But those two days, he said, may not be critical.

Even then, he said, the issue of arrival of ballots is some time off, since GECOM must first observe Nomination Day, and have the Official List of Electors and symbols approved. He added that that activity is closer to, and “sometime around a month before election day.”

Alexander stressed that it is not “out of the top of the head” that the proposed date was arrived at.

“When you plug in the timelines in that programme, the programme generates a date.”

This is unlike Gunraj's proposal, which suggested a date, with no actual plan.

Alexander had told reporters that it would create difficulties for one to choose a date without considering the timelines of the necessary preparatory activities.

It's now left to the Chair, to determine what she will do with Corbin's comprehensive plan and Gunraj's u n s u p p o r t e d N o v ember proposal. According to Alexander, a main concern of hers seems to be the curtailing of the timeframes to be

ready at the earliest possible time.

A statement from GECOM disclosed that Justice Singh has undertaken to study the submission and consult with the Secretariat. Alexander said that she is also likely to reach out to the suppliers again for a final word before making a decision.

She is expected to, first, communicate her decision to the Commission, then, in accordance with Constitutional dictates, write the President.

Gunraj told reporters that her announcement will be rendered at 10:30am today.

A decision by the Justice Singh could bring a longawaited conclusion to the gruelling court cases and other impasses which have dragged on, subsequent to the events of December 21, 2018.

A statement from the Ethnic Relations Commission, late last night, urged a swift resolution to the matters that followed the Motion, and implored the relevant stakeholders to do all that they can to ensure elections are held in the shortest possible time.

The President, who has maintained that he cannot force GECOM's hand, would finally have the information needed to declare an election date.

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

PAGE 25

PAGE 26

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 27

Kaieteur News

‘Racism rot is deep’ in Italian football, says anti-discriminatory body Fare BBC Sport - Italian football authorities and their disciplinary systems to combat racism are “not fit for purpose”, says the chief of antidiscriminatory body Fare.

The claim has been made after Cagliari were cleared of racist chanting towards Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku in a Serie A match.

Lukaku was subjected to monkey chants by Cagliari fans when he scored a penalty for his side in a 2-1 win.

“The rot is deep,” Fare executive director Piara Powar told BBC Sport.

“We believe the Italian authorities and the disciplinary system is simply not fit for purpose.

“Whether it is the FIGC [Italian Football Federation] or Serie A, they have failed to

protect countless players from racism over the past year and have no meaningful response to the endemic racism in stadiums.

“There are no visible campaigns, no progressive fan leaders, as well as apathy and prejudice among the media.

“No-one is taking the issue seriously - no-one apart from the players, the victims themselves, and a few allies who have been courageous enough to stand up.”

Serie A insisted it was “seriously and constantly engaged in activities against racism”.

It added: “I can confirm our maximum effort to fight racism. We did a lot in the past and we’ll do [a lot] in the future as we announced some days ago a campaign about

Lukaku joined Inter Milan from Manchester United in the summer. (Getty Images) this that we will develop in the next month.”

The FIGC has been contacted for a response.

The Fare Network, an

Thursday September 19, 2019 ARIES (Mar. 21–Apr. 19) Romance is in the air and you must be breathing a lot of it today, Aries. Your blood is boiling, your passion surging, and a romantic dinner for two is in the cards.

TAURUS(Apr.20–May20) You'll be happiest away from prying eyes today, Taurus.

You're not in the mood to be friendly or participate in idle gossip. It seems you've been having the same conversations with the same people for some time now.

GEMINI (May 21–June 20) Just when you thought things were settled, life takes another turn. Today brings yet another of those turns, so hold on, Gemini.

CANCER (June 21–July 22) You should feel optimistic today, Cancer, with confidence in your ability to accomplish anything you set your mind to.

LEO (July 23–Aug. 22) You can expect some big changes, Leo. All the hard work you've been doing to develop your confidence is showing, and this is attracting opportunities like bees to honey.

VIRGO (Aug. 23–Sept. 22) Don't overreact today, Virgo. Your biorhythms are low. In fact, you may be feeling a bit under the weather. There's no point in trying to keep up a cheerful front.

LIBRA (Sept. 23–Oct. 22) A long-term project reaches a positive conclusion, one that may have a dramatic impact on your finances.

You've sold your manuscript to a publisher or successfully concluded a project that's dear to your heart.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23–Nov. 21) Change is good, but it can be scary when it comes suddenly. That's what you feel today when someone announces a major change without warning.

SAGIT(Nov.22–Dec.21) You're eager for information on a particular subject and will go to great lengths to get it, Sagittarius. Before heading off to the library, why not try an online search?

CAPRI (Dec. 22–Jan. 19) You may receive a windfall from an unexpected source, Capricorn. Perhaps an uncle died and remembered you in his will or an old legal settlement has finally come through.

AQUARIUS(Jan.20–Feb.18) You receive some new insight about an important person in your life, Aquarius, and your relationship takes a dramatic turn for the better.

PISCES (Feb. 19–Mar. 20) When the thought of going to work makes it hard to get out of bed, know that the time has come to get another job, Pisces. Alas, that's probably not something you can do now.

organisation trying to fight inequality in football, says it has contacted the Italian FA to try to work with it and is awaiting a reply.

In the meantime, Fare’s work to combat racism in Italy involves working with a government agency, non-government organisations and other parts of society in the country.

Belgium international Lukaku said the abuse he suffered showed the game was “going backwards” and he hoped “the football federations all over the world react strongly on all cases of discrimination”.

The report into the incident conceded that chants, shouts and whistles were directed at Lukaku by Cagliari fans, but said they were not sufficient in “size and perception” to merit punishing the club and its supporters.

Anti-racism charity Kick It

Out said: “This is a cowardly decision from Serie A and the Italian FA, in response to disgusting racist abuse aimed at Romelu Lukaku.

“We can only assume that the Italian authorities do not care that they are effectively endorsing this behaviour.

“As they refuse to take action against repeated racist abuse by the same group of supporters, it’s about time Uefa stepped in and showed some leadership.”

This is the third time Calgliari have been investigated for alleged racist abuse in the past two years after cases involving Moise Kean, the Italy forward now at Everton, and his then J u v e n t u s t e a m-mate, France international Blaise Matuidi, but no action was taken over any of the incidents.

‘No basic understanding of racism’ A group of Inter Milan fans claimed Cagliari supporters were showing Lukaku a form of “respect” when they aimed monkey chants at him.

A statement from Inter fan group Curva Nord said “Italian fans are not racist” and the abuse was gamesmanship.

“It shows you that there is no basic understanding of what racism is and why what they do to black players is racist,” said Fare Eastern Europe development officer Pavel Klymenko.

“There has to be a lot of educational efforts put in.

“This lack of understanding runs very deep. It is not just the ultras, it is the whole system of Italian football and consequently the society.”

Home favorite Osaka makes winning start...

From page 33 and Germany’s Angelique Kerber.

Fourth seed Kerber claimed her first win since Wimbledon by easing past American qualifier Nicole Gibbs 6-2 6-4.

After a run to the Eastbourne final in early July, Kerber won just one match at Wimbledon - where she was the holder - and arrived in Osaka on the back of a fivematch losing streak.

“It’s nice to have a win again,” she said. “It was a tough match. We both played really well. But it’s a good feeling to win a match.

“The goal now is to finish the year as well as I can, to put all the energy which I have into this run in Asia and to play well in the next few weeks.”

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Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

Warriors two points clear after thrashing Tallawahs CPL - Guyana Amazon Warriors took advantage of Trinbago Knight Riders dramatic Super Over defeat to St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to move two points clear at the top of the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) table with an 81-run victory at Jamaica Tallawahs.

Contributions throughout the order led by skipper Shoaib Maliks unbeaten 67 powered the Warriors to a franchise record 218/6 from their 20 overs, surpassing their previous best of 212 made all the way back in 2014.

The Warriors spin-heavy attack then made short work of the Tallawahs top order and, despite the returning Andre Russell briefly threatening to do something extraordinary once again as he blasted 40 in 19 balls, the table-toppers eased to their fifth straight win.

Imran Tahir made a key double-strike in the Power Play, removing Chris Gayle and Chadwick Walton. Chris Green removed Javelle Glen, and Qais Ahmad got George Worker with a full-toss.

With eight overs gone, four wickets down and just

51 on the board, the game looked up. But when Dre Russ walks to the middle all things are possible. After two balls he was 10 not out and after his first two overs at the crease the score had leapt from 51/4 to 89/4, with Russell on 29 from just nine balls faced. Three of those nine had been sent over the boundary and two more to it.

Glenn Phillips, having seen the rest of the top order obliterated, was a willing ally and brought up the 50 partnership - and Tallawahs 100 with a slap over cover for six as Keemo Paul struggled with his radar and front foot, sending down a pair of no-balls to offer free-hit opportunities to two batsmen who hardly needed encouragement.

The partnership had reached 60 in 30 balls when Odean Smith came on and ended Russells fun and settled Warrior nerves. There was, in truth, little special about the delivery, but Russell failed to get the elevation he wanted on a flat-bat to cover and Malik held a stinging catch.

With Russell gone, the game went away quickly.

Imran Tahir was impressive, capturing the important wickets of Chris Gayle and Chadwick Imran Tahir and skipper Shoaib Malik celebrate during last nights Warriors victory. (CPL) Walton to earn the man-of-the-match honours. (CPL) Paul, having gone for 33 in his first two overs, took three wickets in his third. First and most significantly he had Phillips caught behind for 40 to end any realistic hopes the Tallawahs had of getting close, before Dwayne Smith sliced one to deep point and Ramaal Lewis, surprised by extra bounce, give Nicholas Pooran another catch behind

Matarkai’ Sebai Invincible Talons FC defeat Moruca 4-0 to represent Region 1

On target for Sebai, from left, Ravina Benjamin, Feona Benjamin and Candacy Benjamin.

Sebai Invincible Talons FC of Matarkai have earned the right to represent Region One at the National Heritage football games slated for this weekend at the Everest Cricket Club, following 4-0 drubbing of Moruca in the regional final played on Tuesday last at Kumaka Recreational ground, Moruca.

Watched by a large and colourful crowd, the girls from Sebai continued their dominance in the region and sounded a warning to their opponents at the Heritage games. Despite the soggy outfield and the presence of national U17 player Samara Rodrigues in the Moruca line up, Sebai Invincible Talons maintained a clean sheet as no team managed to pierce their defence.

Sebai dominated possession throughout the contest and Candacy Benjamin put them ahead in the 17th minute off a free kick taken from just outside the 18 yards box. Feona Benjamin continued her fine form as she buried a spectacular double, with her first in the 28th and her second in the 59th minute. Ravina Benjamin chipped in with a brace the 85th minute to end Morucas hopes of advancing.

On their way to the national finals, the unbeaten Talons also defeated PK United 4-0, Oronoque 4-0 and Wauna 5-0.

Minister Sydney Allicock extended congratulations to the team, and is his personal capacity, sponsored the playing attire for the successful girls Sebai girls.

the stumps.

Zahir Khan then ran himself out for nought before some wild running and occasionally successful swiping from Jade Dernbach and Oshane Thomas took the score to 137 before Qais finished things off.

While the Warriors bowling was impressive, this was a victory earned with the bat.

The Warriors always had an aggressor at the crease as they cruised past 200 in a wellconstructed innings built on solid partnerships for the second, third and fourth wickets.

After Chandrapaul Hemraj was dismissed by Dernbachs first ball of the night in the second over, Shimron Hetmyer took up the initial attack while Brandon King played the support role.

Hetmyer swatted the fourth ball he faced over midwicket for a Hero Maximum and then crashed four fours from Dernbachs second over. Thomas second over was also targeted, two more fours and a magnificent six hit in-to-out over extra cover.

When Hetmyer fell six short of a half-century, bowled by a bail-trimmer from Dwayne Smith, King took over.

Having been 9 not out from 15 balls at one stage, King raced to his half-century in just 18 further deliveries.

Zahir Khan and Dwayne Smith were both struck for back-to-back Hero Maximums, with King hitting four fours and six sixes in all before holing out to long-on in Lewis first over for 59.

Exit King, enter Shoaib.

Warriors captain Malik had, like King earlier, been prepared to play second fiddle while a team-mate was flying.

of the night with a one-leg pull off Thomas and a glorious straight drive off Dernbach.

Russell got him for 20 from 11, top-edging a short ball to keeper Glenn Phillips, but Malik continued to find the boundary and was joined

by Sherfane Rutherford who hit Dernbach for back-toback sixes before skying one to square-leg to give the bowler a measure of revenge.

Malik went through to his 50 from 31 balls, though, steering the Warriors to their big-

Shoaib had just 12 from 11 balls when King was dismissed, but flayed Thomas over point for six in the next over before putting Lewis on to the roof.

Now, though, the Warriors had two players cutting loose, Pooran hitting perhaps the two most attractive sixes

gest ever score and consolidating top spot in the Hero CPL table.

Scores: Guyana Amazon Warriors 218 for 6 (Malik 67*, King 59, Russell 2-35) beat Jamaica Tallawahs 137 (Russell 40, Phillips 40, Keemo 3-34, Tahir 2-21) by 81 runs.

Kohli, bowlers star in India’s T20...

From page 29 went on to complete his 22nd T20 fifty in 71 games, stood firm to see the team home with Shreyas Iyer, on 16 as he hit the winning four, at the other end.Kohli, who became the highest run-getter in T20 internationals with 2441 runs, is locked in a battle with teammate Rohit Sharma who was out for 12 and has 2434 runs from 97 matches.

Earlier South Africa skipper Quinton de Kock smashed 52 off 37 deliveries to give his team a brisk start before the Indian bowlers

struck back.

De Kock, a wicketkeeperbatsman, put on a crucial 57run second-wicket stand with debutant Temba Bavuma.

The left-handed opener, who was recently appointed leader of South Africa’s T20 side, smashed eight fours as he completed his third fifty in the shortest format.

Paceman Navdeep Saini got the prized wicket of De Kock with India Kohli taking a sensational one-handed running catch from mid-off.

Bavuma went on to make 49 off 43 deliveries before be-

coming Chahar’s second victim of the evening as South Africa lost steam in the middle overs.Unbeaten batsmen Dwaine Pretorius, on 10, and Andile Phehlukwayo, on eight, finished off in style with a six each to make South Africa get 16 runs from the final over.

The final match is on Sunday in Bangalore.

Scores: India 151 for 3 (Kohli 72*, Dhawan 40) beat South Africa 149 for 5 (de Kock 52, Bavuma 49, Chahar 2-22) by seven wickets.

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 29

Kaieteur News

Mahmudullah fifty guides Bangladesh to tri-series final AFP - Mahmudullah struck a quick-fire half-century as Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe by 39 runs to qualify for the final of their Twenty20 tri-series in Chittagong yesterday.The hosts will face Afghanistan in the final on Tuesday in Dhaka, while Zimbabwe will finish their campaign against the same opponents tomorrow.

Riding on Mahmudullah’s 62 off 41 balls, Bangladesh posted 175-7 - the side’s highest total against Zimbabwe in Twenty20s - before pacer Shafiul Islam and debutant leg-spinner Aminul Islam shared five wickets to bowl out Zimbabwe for 136.

Shafiul, playing his first Twenty20 international in nearly two years, claimed 336 while teenager Aminul also

impressed, taking 218.Mustafizur Rahman also took two wickets in the final over to finish with 2-38 as Bangladesh condemned Zimbabwe to their third consecutive defeat in the tournament, ending their chances of playing in the final.

Bangladesh took the upper hand in the game when Mohammad Saifuddin and Shakib Al Hasan struck in the first two overs before Shafiul reduced Zimbabwe to 8-3.

Zimbabwe soon slumped to 66-7, a position from where they could never recover despite some late blows by Richmond Mutumbami and Kyle Jarvis.Mutumbami hit 54 off 32 balls, his maiden Twenty20 international fifty, with four fours and three sixes, while Jarvis added 27 off 20 balls,

but they could never put Bangladesh under pressure.

Mahmudullah earlier led Bangladesh’s batting charge with his fourth Twenty20 international fifty, which featured one four and five sixes.

Sent into bat first, opener Liton Das made 38 off 22 and put on 49 runs with debutant Najmul Hossain to give Bangladesh a positive start.Neville Madziva took a stunning catch off Chris Mpofu at short third man to end Liton’s innings and Bangladesh were soon 65-3.Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim (32) added 78 for the fourth wicket to set up a possible score of close to 200 runs but Zimbabwe halted Bangladesh’s progress with late strikes.“We started well with the bat but couldn’t finish the innings the way we wanted. That’s an

AELTC to invest in pre-Wimbledon grass court tournaments

General view of Serbia’s Novak Djokovic on a balcony lifting the trophy as he celebrates winning the final against Switzerland’s Roger Federer at Wimbledon July 14, 2019. (REUTERS/Carl Recine/File Photo) LONDON (Reuters) - The All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) plans to invest in grass court tournaments in Europe to help players prepare for the Wimbledon championships in 2020, it announced yesterday.

The plan includes investments in new grass courts in Stuttgart and Mallorca, with the AELTC set to become the owner, rights or license holder of four new tournaments through collaborations.

“A strong and successful grass court season is absolutely critical to the future of grass court tennis and thus the future success of the (Wimbledon) championships,” AELTC chairman Philip Brook said in a statement. “Having worked to expand the grass court season to be a meaningful gap between Roland Garros and Wimbledon, were pleased to be making these significant

further investments into ensuring that quality grass court tournaments can be provided at all levels of the professional game.”The French Open next year ends on June 7 with Wimbledon set to begin three weeks later on June 29.While the first week of the grass court swing remains unchanged with events in Nottingham (WTA), sHertogenbosh (ATP and WTA) and Stuttgart (ATP), the second week will feature a new WTA event in Berlin.

London and Halle will continue to host ATP events in the second week.

An ATP 250 event in Mallorca will be added to the calendar in the third week while Bad Homburg is set to host a new WTA event, which is subject to approval, with events in Antalya and Istanbul being replaced.

The Mallorca championships will be held from June

20-27 next year with 900,000 euros ($995,040) in prize money up for grabs.

“Spain remains a key market for the ATP Tour and we are delighted to see the return of an ATP 250 tournament to Mallorca,” ATP executive chairman and president Chris Kermode said.“Bringing a grass court tournament to Spain is an exciting development in the ATP Tour calendar and wed like to thank the AELTC for their continued investment in the grass court season.”It will be the first time an ATP event has been held in Mallorca for 18 years.

“Im very proud that there will be an ATP tournament in Mallorca after so many years again,” tournament director Toni Nadal said.“After four successful womens tournaments we are now starting a new, exciting tennis era in Mallorca with this mens event.”

area we can improve. Bowlers backed it up brilliantly,” said Bangladesh skipper Shakib.

Jarvis, who claimed 3-32, removed Mahmudullah and Mosaddek Hossain in consecutive deliveries in the final over to create a chance of a hat-trick.Mohammad Saifuddin hit six runs off the final two balls to ensure Bangladesh posted a strong total.Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza lamented his side’s batting in the first 10 overs.

“If you lose half your side within 10 overs, you’re always behind the game,” he said.

Scores: Bangladesh 175 for 7 (Mahmudullah 62, Jarvis 3-32) beat Zimbabwe 136 (Mutumbami 54, Shafiul 336) by 39 runs.

Mahmudullah led Bangladesh to victory. (AFP / Stringer)

Kohli, bowlers star in India’s T20 win over S. Africa AFP - An unbeaten halfcentury from skipper Virat Kohli and disciplined bowling helped India beat South Africa by seven wickets in the second Twenty20 international yesterday.

Kohli made 72 off 52 balls as India chased down their target of 150 in 19 overs in Chandigarh to lead the threematch series 1-0 after the opening game was washed out.

But it was the bowlers led by paceman Deepak Chahar who set up the win after restricting South Africa to 149 for five in their innings.

Kohli then anchored the chase, putting on crucial partnerships including a 61-run second-wicket stand with opener Shikhar Dhawan, who made 40 off 31 deliveries.

The left-handed Dhawan fell to a spectacular catch by an airborne David Miller at

India captain Virat Kohli help guide his side to a seven-wicket T20I win over South Africa. (AFP / Sajjad Hussain) long-on with left arm spinner Tabraiz Shamsi getting the breakthrough.

Debutant spinner Bjorn Fortuin struck soon to get

wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant back in the pavilion for four as India slipped to 104 for three.But Kohli, who (Continued on page 26)

Venue for GAICO Construction Chess Tournament shifted to Aquatic Centre The inaugural GAICO Grand Prix Chess Tournament gets underway on Saturday September 21, at the at the National Aquatic Centre, Lilliendaal, Greater Georgetown from 13:00HRS. The venue had originally been said to be the National Resource Centre, but a subsequent release from the Chess Federation indicated the change so players are asked to take note.

Registration starts at noon. Junior players will enter free, while the tournament fee for Seniors is $500 each.

The Grand Prix Tourna-

ment is the first in a series organised by the new Executive of the Guyana Chess Federation (GCF) to canvass top Guyanese chess players to represent Guyana at the Chess Olympiad in Russia next year.

Newly elected GCF President Frankie Farley, is upbeat about the new initiative. “I see the series of tournaments being the catalyst that will catapult the development of chess in Guyana when combined with other initiatives.

The tournaments have the potential to stimulate interest to play, knowing wins trans-

late to the opportunity to make the Guyana 2020 Olympiad Chess Team,” Mr. Farley declared. The tournament consists of eight rounds and the first three rounds will be run off this weekend. Round Four is set for Wednesday September 25 from 17:00HRS and the remaining four rounds will conclude the following weekend.

Each player will be allotted 90 minutes per round plus 30 seconds increment after each move. Interested players can contact Rashad on 6816000 or Davion on 656-4032 for more information.

PAGE 30

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

NexGen Global Marketing & HJs Not in My House Boxing

Keevin Allicock headlines Amateur bouts on Sept 28 GBA head applauds the return of Pro-Am Card

C

ome September 28 all roads should lead to Durban Park which will become Guyanas latest venue to host Professional Boxing and the Caribbeans number one Amateur pugilist Keevin Allicock will headline the four-bout Amateur Card on the Pro-am NexGen Global Marketing & HJs Not in My House Boxing Championships.

The 20-year-old Allicock, who suffered a controversial loss at the last Pan American Games in Peru, is now on a training stint in Russia and is expected back on September 23.

The Caribbean Bantamweight Champion, Coached FYF s Sebert Black, is scheduled to match gloves with Trinidadian Anthony Joseph, while Caribbean Middleweight Champion Desmond Amsterdam, former light welterweight Caribbean Champion Colin Lewis and Caribbean Lightweight Champion the Beast from Berbice; Jamal Eastman, will also fight in the Amateur bouts.

Guyana Boxing Association (GBA) President Steve Ninvalle, who is working hard for the development of Guyanas Amateur Boxers, explained that this card will help to develop and expose Boxers in the Amateur ranks.

“Any amount of activity in the Amateur arena will assist Amateur Boxing. So if we have five Cards and can have five more it will be better than having two more,” Ninvalle said.

Pro-Am cards are nothing new to Guyana and a few years ago the GBA had collaborated with the Guyana Boxing Board to what was called the Friday nights fights which was held once every month at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

These Cards give the GBA the opportunity to showcase their boxers to people who might not come to Amateur Boxing but may go to Professional fights.

“We applaud the idea and welcome it back and hope that it could be continuous,” said Ninvalle.

He informed that the GBA

Keevin Allicock and Sebert Blake

Steve Ninvalle s Technical Director Terrence Poole, who is also the Coach of the GDF Boxing Gym and Coach Blake are in charge of the selection of the Boxers for this Card.

Looking ahead, Ninvalle disclosed that the National Intermediate Championship is slated for the first week in October, while the GBA is trying to hold the National Open in the last week in October.

“This is because we want

to give our boxers selected to represent Guyana in the Caribbean Championships, a month of proper training.

When I say proper training I mean encampment and so forth,” Ninvalle explained.

The Caribbean Champi-

onships will be held in Trinidad from December 4-9 and the GBAs top man informed that Guyana wants to send a team of at least 18 Boxers to give this country a chance of a successful defence of the title they re-

gained last year at home.

“We have worked so hard to win the title last year after relinquishing it in 2017 when we sent four Boxers to the Championships in St Lucia due a lack of funds,” noted Ninvalle. (Sean Devers)

Vintage Di Maria helps PSG overwhelm Real Madrid

Paris St Germain’s Angel Di Maria scores their second goal Real Madrid. (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier) PARIS (Reuters) - Angel Di Maria scored twice in a vintage performance to help Paris St Germain outclass Real Madrid 3-0 in their opening Champions League Group A game yesterday.

In the absence of the formidable attacking trio of Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Edinson Cavani, Di Maria provided two first-half goals as PSG suffocated Real throughout and Thomas Meunier added a third in stoppage time.Real, European champions 13 times and three years

in a row from 2016-18, failed to muster a shot on target and suffered their first defeat of the season.PSG lead the standings on three points, ahead of Club Brugge and Galatasaray, who played out a goalless draw earlier yesterday.

“We lacked intensity, we never got into the game, we created very few chances,” Real coach Zinedine Zidane told a news conference.

Although PSGs win could be seen as a statement, the French champions still have

a long way to go before putting three consecutive last16 eliminations behind them for good including last seasons embarrassing defeat by Manchester United.

“We played at a very very high level tonight, but its not easy to show this in every game,” said PSG coach Thomas Tuchel.With Neymar suspended and Mbappe and Cavani injured, Argentine Mauro Icardi started up front after playing his first half hour for PSG in a Ligue 1 game against Strasbourg last week-

end.

He had little impact, though, as Di Maria made sure his compatriots lack of match time went unnoticed in PSGs first European game since a shock 3-1 home defeat by United sent them out of last seasons Champions League.

EMPHATIC WIN Eden Hazard started for Real, who eliminated PSG in the last 16 in 2017-18, and they were also without the injured Marcelo, Isco, Luka Modric, Marco Asensio and Fede Valverde as well as the suspended Sergio Ramos and Nacho Fernandez.

PSG started fast and were rewarded for their early domination in the 14th minute when Di Maria stabbed the ball past Thibaut Courtois at the near post from Juan Bernats cross.

It was former Real player Di Marias 25th goal in his 100th appearance in European competition.

He made it 26 in the 33rd minute, curling a superb shot past Courtois from 20 metres after Idrissa Gueye had cut through the Real midfield.

Real forward Gareth Bale found the back of the net shortly afterwards but the goal was ruled out by the VAR

for handball.

PSG left little space to Real and Di Maria came close to making it 3-0, only for his chip to land on the roof of the net after the Argentine had been sent through by the impressive Gueye.Real striker Karim Benzema beat Keylor Navas

from close range in the 77th minute, but the goal was ruled out because Lucas Vazquez was offside.Full back Meunier wrapped up an emphatic win when he scored from close range one minute into stoppage time following a PSG counter-attack.

Lewis and Khan guilty of code of conduct breach

During Match 14 of the 2019 Hero Caribbean Premier League both Evin Lewis of the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Ali Khan of Trinbago Knight Riders were charged by the onfield umpires with breaching Article 2.2.4 of the Code of Conduct - Inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play.

The incident occurred following the third ball of the Super Over being bowled by Ali Khan. Both players pleaded guilty to the charge and accepted the following sanctions imposed by Match Referee, Simon Taufel, which are in keeping with the sanctioning guidelines provided for such breaches, at Article 7.3 of the Code: Evin Lewis - 100% of his match fee Ali Khan - 75% of his match fee

Brathwaite ends wretched...

From page 32 Brathwaite posted 65 for the third wicket with Patel (25), 39 for the fourth wicket with Billy Root (19) before adding a further 80 for the fifth wicket with captain Chris Cooke whose 43 came from 39 balls with four fours.Unbeaten on 68 at tea with the hosts on 171 for four, Brathwaite brought up his first hundred for his new county in the final session when he stroked veteran seamer Wright to the cover boundary, prompting the declaration.

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 31

Kaieteur News

Corporate Community ensures Miguel Cagliari cleared of racist chanting towards Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku Wong’s trip to Germany becomes a reality

Cagliari were also investigated over chants directed at Everton forward Moise Kean when he was playing for Juventus. (Getty Images)

Miguel Wong (seated) is flanked by Ramdeo Kumar (far left), Looknauth Persaud, Joseph Rajkumar and National Player Krystian Sahadeo at the Titans Table Tennis Club Tuesday.

A dream of training at high intensity levels in Germany has become a reality for National Table Tennis player Miguel Wong, after a generous group of members of the corporate community forged resources to ensure he secured the requisite funds for the trip.

Ready Mix Concrete, who played a significant role, King’s Jewellery World, Beacon Café, Payless Variety Store, Power Producers and Distributors Inc, Dem Bake along with Parents and Members of Titans Table Tennis Club all contributed to help the 18 year-old attend a threemonth training camp in Berlin, Germany which would have started since September 1.It is understood the sum needed was $700,000, and the Guyana Table Tennis Association played a significant hand in helping him acquire the Visa.

Looknauth Persaud of Kings Jewellery World and

Ramdeo Kumar of Bacon Café both applauded the Caribbean medallist for his non-stop desire to attend the camp and stated their support comes as a result of witnessing the young players passion to succeed.

Their hope is for Wong to saturate all the information that will be on offer in Germany to not only improve his game for success at the senior level but to impart high-level skills and tactics into the younger players at the club.

Similar words were uttered from Brian Sukhai, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (Finance & Accounting) at Power Producers & Distributors Inc. He mentioned that while assisting the talented player is part of their Social Corporate Responsibility, they too have seen impressive traits by the racquet wielder and envisioned he will succeed given his discipline.

Wong dearly thanked all for their unwavering support

and vowed to adhere to all the advice and most importantly repay the sponsors by lending support to players who will be in need of help when he returns.“I want to train and compete as much as possible and hopefully visit other clubs to get the much need exposure. The goal is to be the gateway for other juniors and hopefully be the link for others to be attend these overseas camps.”Wong added, “This will be in preparation for the upcoming Senior Caribbean Championships which is to be held in Cuba and to be included into the Mens Senior Team. Hopefully, there will be trails for National Championship for selection of the Mens team and U-21 before the championship in March 2020.”Sachsischer Table tennis club is considered the training ground for the Worlds best talents from Latin-American countries.

Wong is expected to depart Guyana before Friday.

Hampshire’s Kyle Abbott takes 17 wickets to send records tumbling AFP - Former South Africa Test player Kyle Abbott took 17 wickets in Hampshire’s County Championship win over title-chasing Somerset — the best figures in first-class cricket for 63 years.The paceman’s match return of 17-86 is the best ever for Hamphire and the best overall since England spinner Jim Laker took 19-90 against Australia in 1956.Abbott, 32, had taken 9-40 in the first innings and replicated his incredible fast bowling with a remarkable 8-46, the Championship’s first 17-wicket haul for 80 years.Somerset, who needed 281 to win, were skittled for just 144 in their second innings yesterday.The 136-run defeat, Somerset’s third loss of the season, means they will need to beat their title rivals Essex at Taunton next

Kyle Abbott in action for South Africa in 2014.

(AFP/File / Jekesai Njikizana)

week if they are to win the Championship for the first time. Essex are on the brink of victory against Surrey.

BBC Sport - Cagliari have been cleared of racist chanting towards Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku in a Serie A match.

Chants were aimed at Lukaku as he was about to take a penalty in a 2-1 victory at the Sardegna Arena.

But according to a sports judge acting on behalf of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), there was not enough evidence for any sanctions.

Cagliari were, however, fined 5,000 euros for throwing plastic bottles on to the pitch at Parma on Sunday.

The report admitted that chants, shouts and whistles were directed at Lukaku by Cagliari fans, but they were not enough in “size and perception” to bring about any form of punishment against the club and its supporters.

This is the third time that the club has been investigated for alleged racist abuse in the last two years after cases involving Moise Kean, the Italy forward now at Everton, and his then Juventus team-mate, France international Blaise Matuidi, but no action has been taken on each occasion.

Judo federation bans Iran after fighter loses to avoid facing Israeli AFP - Iran has been suspended from international judo for ordering a judoka to lose at the world championships to avoid facing an Israeli, the International Judo Federation (IJF) said yesterday.Saeid Mollaei, who entered last month’s event in Tokyo as the reigning world champion in the -81kg class, said he was ordered to throw his semi-final rather than risk facing an Israeli in the final.

Mollaei lost to Belgian Matthias Casse who in turn lost to Sagi Muki of Israel in the final.“The alleged actions are serious enough to consider the application of a protective suspension,” the IJF said in a statement.It explained that it had “strong reason to believe that the Iran Judo Federation will continue or repeatedly engage in misconduct”.After finishing fifth in Tokyo last month, Mollaei fled to Berlin.

“I’ve had a German visa and I’m in Germany to stay away from the rumours,” Mollaei told the Londonbased Persian language channel Iran International.

“God forbid something would happen to my family.

But I serve my country and whatever medal I get belongs to Iran, whether it’s under the Iran or IOC flag,” he added.

Saeid Mollaei lost to Matthias Casse in the men’s -81kg category during the 2019 Judo World Championships. (AFP/File / Charly Triballeau)

“I feel sorry that maybe I won’t be able to compete for Iran again. But I didn’t train this hard just to put up this show of losing.”The Times of Israel quoted the Israeli coach as saying Mollaei’s family had been threatened.

“From what we understand,” said Moshe Fonti.

“Iranian intelligence officials came both to his home in Iran and to the judo arena and warned him.”The statement said the IJF “notes that similar acts have been observed in the past.”It gave as an example Arash Miresmaeili, Iran’s flag bearer at the 2004 Athens Olympics and a favourite in the 66kg class. He was drawn to face Israeli Ehud Vaks in the first round but was too heavy at the

weigh in and was disqualified without fighting. Miresmaeili is now the head of Iran’s judo federation.

There have been examples of Iranian athletes being told to lose to avoid facing Israeli opponents in other sports, most notably wrestler Alireza Karimi at the under-23 World Championships in 2017. His coach was caught yelling “Alireza you must lose, the Israeli won” in a video that went viral in 2017.

Karimi was suspended for six months for throwing his bout, while his coach was banned for two years.

The IJF specifies that the Iranian Federation may appeal this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days.

PAGE 32

Thursday September 19, 2019

Kaieteur News

Fourth EBFA/Ralph Green U-11 League

Fruta Conquerors and Eagles FC drafted in; five matches on this Saturday Play in the Diamond United vs Samatta Point/Kaneville match on Saturday last.

The Fourth edition of the East Bank Football Association / Ralph Green Under-11 League has moved beyond the shores of the East Bank this year with teams from sister Regional Members Associations being invited to play.

Fruta Conquerors and Eagles Football Club of Stewartville on the West Coast of Demerara have been invited to play and will join Vurlon Mills Academy which has already played on the opening day, last S a t u r d a y .

EBFA President Franklin Wilson informed

that clubs have reached out to him to participate in the tournament and while the association cannot accommodate all, some have been invited to play which he believes add to the overall excitement of the tournament whilst providing an avenue for the players to exhibit their skills.

Five more matches would be played on Saturday at the Guyana Football Federation National Training Centre, Providence, East Bank Demerara. Following are the matches that would be played and the points standings after the first days play.

Curry says he plans to play for USA at Tokyo Olympics Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry, center, went to Japan in June for a basketball clinic and hopes to return there next year with other US NBA stars in quest of a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. (AFP/File / Kazuhiro Nogi)

Brathwaite ends wretched run with hundred for Glamorgan CARDIFF, Wales, CMC West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite struck his 22nd first class hundred to end a miserable run of form and put Glamorgan in a strong position to force a result on the final day of their Division Two County Championship contest against Leicestershire.

Playing at Sophia Gardens yesterdays penultimate day, the 26-year-old carved out an unbeaten 103 as the hosts declared their second innings on 251 for five, leaving Leicestershire with a difficult target of 424 for victory.

At the close, the visitors were tottering on 32 for two after new-ball seamer Lukas Carey (2-10) prised out captain Paul Horton (7) and Colin Ackermann (1) cheaply.

Leicestershire had earlier used a last-wicket stand of 92 between Chris Wright (60) and Will Davis (39 not out) to rally from their overnight 191 for nine to 263 all out in their first innings.

Wright, resuming on 26, struck 10 fours and a six off 86 deliveries before he was

West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite … struck his 22nd first class hundred for Glamorgan.

last out, stumped off former England left-arm spinner Samit Patel who finished with four for 58.Brathwaite then anchored the Glamorgan innings in a knock that required 189 balls, lasted just shy of four hours and included 12 fours and a six.

The knock followed his marathon 44 in Glamorgans first innings of 435, when he

batted nearly 3-¾ hours and faced 156 deliveries.

More importantly, Brathwaite ended a rut which saw him average a miserly 12.58 in his last nine Tests over the last 12 months. In the recent two-Test series against India, the right-hander managed 28 runs from four innings.On Wednesday, (Continued on page 32 )

AFP - Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry says he expects to play for the United States at next year’s Tokyo Olympics, telling ESPN: “That is the plan, for sure.”

The 31-year-old guard, a three-time NBA champion and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has never played for a US Olympic squad, although he did help American teams win the 2010 and 2014 Basketball World Cups.

“Definitely want to go,” Curry said of the Olympics.

“I’ve never been on the Olympic team. I’ve been on two World Cup championship gold medal teams, but the Olympics is the experience that I want. And next year hopefully will be it.”

The Americans, with a squad of mostly younger and lesser-known NBA talents, finished seventh last week at this year ’s World Cup in China, with Spain taking the title and raising concern about whether or not a US team of NBA stars could win a fourth consecutive Olympic title next year in Japan.

“We’re still the best,” Curry said. “If we get the guys that are supposed to be there, in terms of, you know, representing us in the Olympic stage and commitment has been there, and I think it will be there next year.”Curry and other big-name US NBA players are expected to fill out next year’s Olympic roster. The squad could potentially include James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and Paul George.

“Obviously knock on wood, you don’t want any injuries or things like that to interfere,” Curry told ESPN in the interview.Among the assistants to US national team coach Gregg Popovich is Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Curry and the Warriors will attempt to reach the NBA Finals for a sixth consecutive season when the 2019-20 campaign begins next month.

The only team to manage such a feat was the Boston Celtics dynasty team that went to the Finals 10 times in a row from 1957-1966 and won nine titles in that span.Golden

State will move into a new $1 billion arena in San Francisco but will be without Kevin Durant, who left after last season to join the Brooklyn Nets. A torn Achilles tendon figures to sideline Durant for all of the upcoming campaign.

“At the end of the day, we live in an age where choice (is) at the forefront and K made a decision for himself and you can’t argue that,” Curry told ESPN. “He’s an unbelievable talent, unbelievable person. We accomplished a lot together.

“But things have changed a little bit. So you obviously wish him the best, obviously with his recovery first and foremost and things on and off the court. But we’re going to have to battle down the road. So this should be a fun, new experience on that front too.”The Warriors must also wait for guard Klay Thompson to recover from a knee injury but they will welcome D’Angelo Russell, obtained from Brooklyn in the sign and trade deal for Durant, as they revamp the roster next season.

Kaieteur News

Thursday September 19, 2019

PAGE 33

Titan Table Tennis Club growing from strength to strength Dwain Dick.

Dick giving instructions

The Titan Table Tennis Club (TTTC) was founded on Oct 2nd, 2011 by Dwain Dick with a total of four players initially and now as the club approaches it eight year anniversary, it now has in excess of 60 active members.

Dick, an ITTF level 2 certified coach, during a recent interview with Kaieteur Sport, explained that Miguel Wong who will be leaving today to attend a training camp in Germany, was one of the first members of the club and he has gone on to be one of the top players in Guyana.

TTTC has grown to be the leading table tennis club in Guyana by leaps and bounds and Dick shared that at least a modest projection of 50% of the current junior

champions are from the club that is based in the Guyana Red Cross Society building on Barrack Street, Kingston.

Training sessions are each Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 17:00hrs to 21:00hrs and on Saturdays from 13:00hrs to 17:00hrs.

Dick noted that besides being tutored by level one and two certified coaches, table tennis also provides an opportunity to relieve stress and have fun, fostering positive attributes such as discipline and teamwork and building self esteem, while developing a healthy lifestyle.

Besides the usual training sessions, the TTTC usually have tournaments throughout the year and last month, they concluded the second annual six-week

summer camp that was sponsored by VIVA water and West Field Prep school; over 40 student-athletes attended the camp.

With the ever increasing amount of members joining the club, Dick said that soon he will need a bigger space to host his club. Having already acquired a plot of land in A field Sophia where foundation works have begun, the dream of the clubs own facility will sooner than later become a reality.

Funding for the project has come mainly through fundraisers held by the club with the most recent being the Breakfast buffet that is set for the 27th of this month at Beacons Café on Quamina and Carmichael Streets. The cost for a ticket for the event is $2000.

Home favorite Osaka makes winning start at Pan Pacific Open (Reuters) - Hometown hero Naomi Osaka recovered from a sluggish start to beat Bulgarian qualifier Viktoriya Tomova 7-5 6-3 and reach the quarter-finals at the Pan Pacific Open in Japan yesterday.

Making her first appearance at the tournament after a first-round bye, Osaka’s serve looked shaky in the early stages and she soon found herself down a double-break to Tomova at 30.The top seed pulled herself back into the contest with her trademark powerful forehands and crisp volleys before Tomova double faulted in the 12th game to concede the opening set.

Osaka switched gears in the second set to finish the match with 40 winners, including 13 blistering aces, and pass an awkward

Naomi Osaka (File Photo: US Open) opening test she received from world number 181 Tomova.

Last week, Osaka stunned the tennis world by sacking her second coach in seven months, parting ways with Jermaine Jenkins after a disappointing U.S. Open title

defence.

The 21-year-old’s main challengers in Osaka, where she finished runner-up in 2016 and last year, will be fellow top-20 players Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands, American Sloane Stephens (Continued on page 27)

Dick explained during the interview with Kaieteur Sport that, “Our mandate is to work with any federation or executive body but presently I can say that better can be done (at the association level) but we as a club strive to stay within the

guidelines set out by the national federation to enjoy a mutual relationship with them.” The table tennis coach further disclosed that, “Hopefully, in the near future, we see things change for the better because as a club, everything that

happens at the association level impacts the club whether negative or positive and we hope that we see a bit more accountability and transparency (from the national association) going forward.” (Calvin Chapman)

BM Soat Auto Sales assists young rifle shooter Tiwari for WIFBSC BM Soat Auto Sales, one of Guyana’s leaders in the automotive industry, has once again reached out to young rifleman Roberto Tewari with assistance ahead of his quest to make the Guyana National Rifle Association team to this years West Indies Fullbore Shooting Championships set for Trinidad and Tobago.

Last year, the company played a crucial part in ensuring Tiwaris participation in the 150th anniversary championships of the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association held in Ottawa, Canada.

T h e c o m p a n y, w h o ’s Managing Director Rameez Mohamed, is also the President of the Guyana Motor Racing and Sports Club (GMR&SC) where Tiwari is an active volunteer has once again come to his assistance, this time around purchasing much needed sights for his rifle.

Speaking to Kaieteur sport Mr. Mohamed expressed his company’s delight in being able to support the young marksman endeavours to ensure his contributions keep Guyana as the leading nation in the Caribbean on the fullbore shooting range. ”Tiwari has been a close associate of our company for

BM Soats Devika Sukhu hands over sponsorship to Roberto Tiwari. many years, always volunteering his help around motor racing and now that he has taken up a career in rifle shooting we are basically returning the favour in the form of whatever assistance he requires and his journey continues. He came to us and informed us about his new barrel that he had recently acquired and asked if we would be willing to mount some new sights on this barrel for him and we were happy to oblige.”

The West Indies Fullbore Shooting championship will be contested next month in the Twin Island Republic where Tiwari is aiming to compete as an individual and as a member of Guyanas short and long range teams.

Tiwari expressed sincere gratitude to BM Soat Auto Sales for their continued support in ensuring that he would be able to produce better results in his quest to bring home glory to his country.

Warriors two points rt o p S clear after thrashing Tallawahs

Guyana Amazon Warriors remained unbeaten after dispatching the Jamaica Tallawahs at Sabina Park last night. (CPL)

Corporate Community ensures Miguel Wong’s trip to Germany becomes a reality P.29

Lewis and Khan guilty of code of conduct breach

National Table Tennis Player Miguel Wong

Matarkai’ Sebai Invincible Talons FC defeat Moruca 4-0 to represent Region 1

Ali Khan of Trinbago Knight Riders. (CPL)

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